Faculty - By Research Interest Jump to: All Behavioral Cellular/Molecular Clinical Computational Developmental Systems Behavioral Anita E. Autry, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our lab investigates the molecular and circuit underpinnings of social behavior, particularly parental behavior, in mice. We primarily use behavioral techniques combined with in vivo calcium imaging, opto/chemogenetic approaches, and pharmacology to understand the modulation of these behavior circuits. Streamson C. Chua, Jr., M.D., Ph.D. Professor, Department of Medicine (Endocrinology) We study the role of the hypothalamus is regulating metabolic processes, energy balance and ingestive behavior. These functions directly control the propensity to develop obesity, diabetes and atherosclerosis. Insights into the neural network that mediates these functions are likely to lead to therapeutic modalities and treatments to these chronic diseases. Ruben Coen-Cagli, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Systems & Computational Biology Our lab studies neural computation to advance understanding of how the brain produces perceptual experiences and guides behavior. We follow a highly interdisciplinary approach that combines theories of neural coding, advanced methods in machine learning and computer vision, psychophysics experiments, and in vivo electrophysiology through collaborations. Kostantin Dobrenis, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience My lab works on neurodegenerative lysosomal storage diseases: this is directed at both efforts to better understand the still elusive critical pathogenetic mechanisms that underlie neuronal dysfunction; and the development of rational therapeutic strategies which over the years has included enzyme replacement, hematopoietic stem cell transplant, gene replacement and pharmacologic modalities. We also have a broad interest in the biology of microglia, particularly their roles in brain development and select pathologies. Yonatan I. Fishman, Ph.D. Associate Professor, The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology Research in our laboratory examines neural mechanisms underlying auditory perception of speech, music, and other complex sounds at the cortical level. Of particular interest are the neural processes that allow the brain to perceptually separate spectrally and temporally overlapping sounds in complex acoustic environments, e.g., speakers’ voices at a cocktail party. These neural processes are studied via electrophysiological recordings of neural activity in auditory cortex of awake, behaving non-human primates. Parallel collaborative and translational studies involving both non-invasive and intracranial electrophysiological recordings in humans aim at relating mechanisms of complex sound processing in animal models and humans. Aristea S. Galanopoulou, M.D., Ph.D. Professor, The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology (Pediatric Neurology) My research interests include: age- and sex-specific mechanisms of epileptogenesis, therapy development for early life seizures, epileptic encephalopathies and post-traumatic epilepsy, pathogenesis and treatments of infantile spasms and Rett syndrome, role of GABA receptors and subcortical centers in brain development and epileptogenesis. J. Tiago Goncalves, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience We aim to understand how experience and neuronal activity contribute to the differentiation of adult neural stem cells and the integration of adult-born neurons into functional circuits in the dentate gyrus. We also study how this neuronal maturation process is altered in disease. Jean M. Hebert, Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience The neocortex performs our highest cognitive functions. In recent years, how fetal cells generate the neocortex has become better understood. Armed with this knowledge, the Hébert Lab is developing tissue reconstruction approaches to repair or replace adult neocortical tissue after age-related degeneration. Kamran Khodakhah, Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our interests revolve around the motor and non-motor functions of the cerebellum. At a basic science level, we seek to understand the computational principles of the cerebellar circuitry, and how the cerebellum interacts with other brain regions such as the basal ganglia, the brain's dopaminergic system, and the prefrontal cortex. At the clinical level our interests include movement disorders, psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, and Autism Spectrum disorder, as well as the role of the cerebellum in addiction and addictive behavior. Sophie Molholm, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Pediatrics (Developmental Medicine) I am a Cognitive Neuroscientist with expertise in the use of psychophysics, high-density electrophysiology, and neuroimaging to probe the brain processes underlying perception and cognition in healthy and clinical groups. Much of my basic work is directed at understanding sensory perception, probing how the sensory systems interact in the brain to influence perception and behavior, and investigating how attention impacts these processes. My recent work focuses on the neurodevelopment of these perceptual and cognitive processes in typically developing children, and whether and how these processes are altered in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Saleem M. Nicola, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience We study the neural basis of reward-seeking behavior, decision-making and drug addiction. Our research uses rodent behavioral models and methods including electrophysiology, pharmacology, and optogenetics in behaving animals. The goal of our work is to determine how neurons in the nucleus accumbens and related circuitry compute, and how their computations influence behavior. Jose L. Pena, M.D., Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience We investigate how the brain becomes selective to relevant features of the auditory scene, through processing and learning. We use electrophysiological, computational, biochemical and behavioral techniques applied to avian species. Jelena Radulovic, M.D., Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our lab investigates the neurobiological mechanisms by which stress effects on memory systems adversely impact emotional behavior relevant for anxiety and depression. We study these questions by applying pharmacological, molecular, and cellular/circuit approaches in genetically engineered mice. Rachel A. Ross, M.D., Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our translational laboratory uses molecular, behavioral, and systems neuroscience tools to better understand the pathophysiology and biology that underly the full spectrum of eating disorders from anorexia to obesity in hopes of improving treatment and reducing stigma. We are focused on how neuropeptides regulate specific circuits at the interface of stress and metabolism, with an interest in sex differences and behavior differences that result in outcomes across the weight spectrum related to psychiatric and medical illness. Stephanie Rudolph, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our research focuses on how neuromodulation affects synaptic plasticity, inhibitory signaling, and multisensory integration to shape behavior in health and disease. Gary J. Schwartz, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Medicine (Endocrinology) I am interested in the systems neurobiology and physiology of energy balance, including appetitive and consummatory phases of ingestive behavior, thermogenesis , glucose homeostasis, and gut-brain communication. I am particularly interested in the identification nd characterization of sensory transducers and neural circuits that relay and integrate incoming information from target organs whose feedback helps determine when and how we eat. Lucas L. Sjulson, M.D., Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Our laboratory is focused on understanding the frontolimbic substrates of drug addiction and motivated behavior, with the goal of developing novel neuromodulation-based treatments for drug addiction. To this end, we combine advanced techniques in electrophysiology, optical imaging, and optogenetics to record and manipulate brain activity in rodents engaged in reward- and drug-guided behavior tasks. A secondary focus of the lab is developing novel tools for genetically encoded neuromodulation that have properties favorable for use in human subjects. Mitchell Steinschneider, M.D., Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology (Pediatric Neurology) My research interests include elucidating the neural mechanisms underlying the processing and perception of complex sounds, speech and language. To accomplish these goals, my collaborators and I examine 1) electrocorticographic signals in patients undergoing surgical evaluation for medically intractable epilepsy, 2) scalp recordings in children and adults, and 3) detailed investigations of auditory cortical processing in non-human primates. Elyse S. Sussman, Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience My research is in the field of cognitive neuroscience with a focus on understanding brain processes involved in sensory perception, memory, and attention across the lifespan. Our lab uses electrophysiological recordings and behavioral assessments to link markers of brain function with measures of cognitive abilities. Our work with children and adults provides benchmark measures of complex perceptual abilities that can be used for comparison with children and adults who have cognitive dysfunction due to various etiologies. Our current work is focused on understanding the pathophysiology of cancer-related cognitive dysfunction in children and adults. Yunlei Yang, M.D., Ph.D. Professor, Department of Medicine (Endocrinology) The focus of my lab research is to decipher and manipulate neural circuits and brain-gut-adipose connections that modulate food intake, glucose and energy metabolism, and animal emotions. Collectively, we are studying (1) neural circuit mechanisms for food intake and anxiety, (2) brain-gut-adipose axis modulating glucose balance and energy metabolism, and (3) glial regulations of emotions, glucose and energy metabolism. We use innovative combinations of neuroscience methods, genetic and metabolic tools, including chemogenetics, optogenetics, fiber photometry, electrophysiology, adipose tissue sympathetic innervations and function assays. We also perform single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and single cell RT-qPCR (scRT-qPCR) of individual neurons. These cutting-edging methods will give us neuroanatomically and temporally specific access to precisely deciphering both central and peripheral circuit pathways that control animal emotions and glucose and energy metabolism. Jump to: All Behavioral Cellular/Molecular Clinical Computational Developmental Systems Cellular/Molecular Myles Akabas, M.D., Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Malaria parasite membrane transport physiology; mechanisms of purine and drug transport; development of novel antimalarial drugs that target the primary malaria purine import transporter Anita E. Autry, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our lab investigates the molecular and circuit underpinnings of social behavior, particularly parental behavior, in mice. We primarily use behavioral techniques combined with in vivo calcium imaging, opto/chemogenetic approaches, and pharmacology to understand the modulation of these behavior circuits. Thaddeus A. Bargiello, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience My lab investigates the molecular determinants and mechanisms underlying voltage and chemical regulation of open probability and permeation of ion channels formed by the connexin gene family. We do so by combining direct structural solutions by single particle cryo-EM, with computational methods which include all-atom Molecular Dynamics simulations, and electrophysiological characterizations. We have recently extended our studies to include solution of the atomic structure of electrical synapses formed by Cx36. Pablo E. Castillo, M.D., Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience The main goal of my research program is to understand how neural activity controls the strength of synaptic connections in the brain -- a process known as synaptic plasticity -- and how dysregulation of this process contributes to brain disease states. To address these issues we utilize a combination of experimental approaches, including cellular electrophysiology, two-photon laser microscopy, optogenetics and a wide-range of molecular manipulations. Streamson C. Chua, Jr., M.D., Ph.D. Professor, Department of Medicine (Endocrinology) We study the role of the hypothalamus is regulating metabolic processes, energy balance and ingestive behavior. These functions directly control the propensity to develop obesity, diabetes and atherosclerosis. Insights into the neural network that mediates these functions are likely to lead to therapeutic modalities and treatments to these chronic diseases. Kostantin Dobrenis, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience My lab works on neurodegenerative lysosomal storage diseases: this is directed at both efforts to better understand the still elusive critical pathogenetic mechanisms that underlie neuronal dysfunction; and the development of rational therapeutic strategies which over the years has included enzyme replacement, hematopoietic stem cell transplant, gene replacement and pharmacologic modalities. We also have a broad interest in the biology of microglia, particularly their roles in brain development and select pathologies. Scott W. Emmons, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Department of Genetics I am interested in how synaptic connections in the nervous system are molecularly specified. My lab studies this in the context of the connectomics of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans nervous system. We study the function of neural cell adhesion molecules in the establishment of connectivity in a defined neural network. Donald S. Faber, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience I am interested in the functional organization of neuronal microcircuits. My interests are at the level of synaptic dynamics, intrinsic membrane properties and perturbations of these variables. Anna Francesconi, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our research focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular underpinnings of metabotropic glutamate receptor functions in the brain. We are specifically interested in understanding how signals downstream of metabotropic receptors are translated into functional and structural changes in synaptic connections, and how metabotropic signaling is orchestrated and spatially confined within neurons. We apply molecular, cellular, biochemical and imaging approaches to identify protein networks that mediate glutamate metabotropic functions under physiological conditions and in animal models of intellectual disability and autism. Lloyd D. Fricker, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Molecular Pharmacology The Fricker lab is interested in peptides and the enzymes that produce and degrade these peptides. Animals lacking specific peptide-processing enzymes have phenotypes that include obesity, anxiety, depression, infertility, epilepsy, and neurodegeneration. Efforts are underway to identify the specific peptides involved in the various phenotypes caused by mutations within the peptide-processing enzymes. Aristea S. Galanopoulou, M.D., Ph.D. Professor, The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology (Pediatric Neurology) My research interests include: age- and sex-specific mechanisms of epileptogenesis, therapy development for early life seizures, epileptic encephalopathies and post-traumatic epilepsy, pathogenesis and treatments of infantile spasms and Rett syndrome, role of GABA receptors and subcortical centers in brain development and epileptogenesis. J. Tiago Goncalves, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience We aim to understand how experience and neuronal activity contribute to the differentiation of adult neural stem cells and the integration of adult-born neurons into functional circuits in the dentate gyrus. We also study how this neuronal maturation process is altered in disease. David H. Hall, Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience I concentrate on providing modern electron microscopic techniques to explore the details of normal and mutant anatomy of the nematode C. elegans. I generally work in collaboration with other C. elegans labs who require our expertise to solve interesting problems in cellular and developmental biology, including sensory reception, synaptic connectivity, mechanisms of cell death, and aging of the nervous system Jean M. Hebert, Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience The neocortex performs our highest cognitive functions. In recent years, how fetal cells generate the neocortex has become better understood. Armed with this knowledge, the Hébert Lab is developing tissue reconstruction approaches to repair or replace adult neocortical tissue after age-related degeneration. Bryen A. Jordan, Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience We study key proteins that mediate information exchange between neuronal synapses and the cellular nucleus. We found that the transport of RNA binding proteins into synapses follows the activity-dependent transport of synaptic components into the cellular nucleus. These processes are essential for input specific expression of synaptic plasticity. Kamran Khodakhah, Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our interests revolve around the motor and non-motor functions of the cerebellum. At a basic science level, we seek to understand the computational principles of the cerebellar circuitry, and how the cerebellum interacts with other brain regions such as the basal ganglia, the brain's dopaminergic system, and the prefrontal cortex. At the clinical level our interests include movement disorders, psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, and Autism Spectrum disorder, as well as the role of the cerebellum in addiction and addictive behavior. Peri Kurshan, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Studying synaptic development and function using C. elegans. Defects in the proper development and function of synapses lead to neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism and Intellectual Disability, however the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes are still largely unknown. We use the nematode C. elegans, which has a simple and stereotyped nervous system and whose connectome has been fully mapped out, to investigate the conserved molecular mechanisms of synapse development. In particular, we study how presynaptic components including cell adhesion molecules, active zone scaffold proteins, calcium channels and synaptic vesicles arrive at the synapse and form a mature and fully functional presynaptic compartment. We combine the power of worm genetics with high resolution imaging and optical physiology readouts to elucidate the role of key molecules. These approaches have led to discoveries suggesting that the role of synaptic cell adhesion molecules such as Neurexin may be different than initially hypothesized, as we have shown that its role in presynaptic development is independent of extracellular activation and downstream of other initiating factors. Herbert M. Lachman, M.D. Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences The Lachman lab uses induced pluripotent stem cell technology and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to model schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders. The lab is primarily interested in studying schizophrenia and autism genes that code for transcription factors and chromatin remodeling complexes. Saleem M. Nicola, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience We study the neural basis of reward-seeking behavior, decision-making and drug addiction. Our research uses rodent behavioral models and methods including electrophysiology, pharmacology, and optogenetics in behaving animals. The goal of our work is to determine how neurons in the nucleus accumbens and related circuitry compute, and how their computations influence behavior. Alberto E. Pereda, M.D., Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Synaptic transmission; properties and plasticity of gap junction-mediated electrical synapses; functional interactions between chemical and electrical synapses. Synaptic plasticity at auditory afferents. Jelena Radulovic, M.D., Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our lab investigates the neurobiological mechanisms by which stress effects on memory systems adversely impact emotional behavior relevant for anxiety and depression. We study these questions by applying pharmacological, molecular, and cellular/circuit approaches in genetically engineered mice. Rachel A. Ross, M.D., Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our translational laboratory uses molecular, behavioral, and systems neuroscience tools to better understand the pathophysiology and biology that underly the full spectrum of eating disorders from anorexia to obesity in hopes of improving treatment and reducing stigma. We are focused on how neuropeptides regulate specific circuits at the interface of stress and metabolism, with an interest in sex differences and behavior differences that result in outcomes across the weight spectrum related to psychiatric and medical illness. Stephanie Rudolph, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our research focuses on how neuromodulation affects synaptic plasticity, inhibitory signaling, and multisensory integration to shape behavior in health and disease. Eliana Scemes, Ph.D., M.S. Visiting Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience The Scemes’ Lab studies CNS disorders involving purinergic signaling and gap junctional communication. Projects are: Astrocyte gap junctions and the blood brain barrier; Glia-neuronal pannexins in epilepsy and pain. Julie Secombe, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Genetics Research in my lab focuses on understanding the molecular and cellular links between genetic variants in the KDM5 family of transcriptional regulators and intellectual disability. To do this, we study brain development in vivo using Drosophila and in vitro using human cerebral organoids. Robert H. Singer, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Cell Biology We are interested in the role of mRNP transport, localization and translation in learning and memory. In order to investigate this we use sophisticated labeling and imaging approaches on cultured neurons and brains in living animals. Frank F. Soldner, M.D. Assistant Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our laboratory focuses on modeling human brain development and function in a cell culture dish to understand the molecular and cellular basis of disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. We employ an interdisciplinary approach, integrating population genetics and genome-scale epigenetic data combined with human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) and gene editing technologies, allowing us to investigate how the complex interaction of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors contribute to the progression of neurological disorders. David C. Spray, Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Role of gap junctions and Panx1 channels in pain generation; Neuron-glial interactions in sensory ganglia; Role of astrocyte gap junctions in control of BBB permeability Vytautas Verselis, Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our interest is in the study of connexin channel gating and permeability and investigation of the mechanistic basis for cochlear dysfunction in syndromic, sensorineural deafness caused by missense mutations in the GJB2 gene encoding the human connexin 26 gap junction protein. Steven U. Walkley, D.V.M., Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience My research is focused on the molecular and cellular pathogenesis of genetic diseases that impact the function of the endosomal-autophagosomal-lysosomal system of neurons. Our goal is to better understand pathogenesis and to use these insights to develop therapies for these disorders. Yunlei Yang, M.D., Ph.D. Professor, Department of Medicine (Endocrinology) The focus of my lab research is to decipher and manipulate neural circuits and brain-gut-adipose connections that modulate food intake, glucose and energy metabolism, and animal emotions. Collectively, we are studying (1) neural circuit mechanisms for food intake and anxiety, (2) brain-gut-adipose axis modulating glucose balance and energy metabolism, and (3) glial regulations of emotions, glucose and energy metabolism. We use innovative combinations of neuroscience methods, genetic and metabolic tools, including chemogenetics, optogenetics, fiber photometry, electrophysiology, adipose tissue sympathetic innervations and function assays. We also perform single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and single cell RT-qPCR (scRT-qPCR) of individual neurons. These cutting-edging methods will give us neuroanatomically and temporally specific access to precisely deciphering both central and peripheral circuit pathways that control animal emotions and glucose and energy metabolism. R. Suzanne Zukin, Ph.D. Professor Emerita, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience The Zukin lab focuses on 3 main areas of research: the role of mTOR signaling at the synapse in mouse models of autism, epigenetic remodeling of synaptic NMDA receptors during postnatal development, and epigenetic regulation of brain AMPA receptors in animal model of ischemic stroke. Jump to: All Behavioral Cellular/Molecular Clinical Computational Developmental Systems Clinical Joseph C. Arezzo, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience human multicenter clinical trials assessment of possible neurotoxicology or seizures in rats, dogs, monkeys (most work done off campus) Kostantin Dobrenis, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience My lab works on neurodegenerative lysosomal storage diseases: this is directed at both efforts to better understand the still elusive critical pathogenetic mechanisms that underlie neuronal dysfunction; and the development of rational therapeutic strategies which over the years has included enzyme replacement, hematopoietic stem cell transplant, gene replacement and pharmacologic modalities. We also have a broad interest in the biology of microglia, particularly their roles in brain development and select pathologies. Yonatan I. Fishman, Ph.D. Associate Professor, The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology Research in our laboratory examines neural mechanisms underlying auditory perception of speech, music, and other complex sounds at the cortical level. Of particular interest are the neural processes that allow the brain to perceptually separate spectrally and temporally overlapping sounds in complex acoustic environments, e.g., speakers’ voices at a cocktail party. These neural processes are studied via electrophysiological recordings of neural activity in auditory cortex of awake, behaving non-human primates. Parallel collaborative and translational studies involving both non-invasive and intracranial electrophysiological recordings in humans aim at relating mechanisms of complex sound processing in animal models and humans. Aristea S. Galanopoulou, M.D., Ph.D. Professor, The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology (Pediatric Neurology) My research interests include: age- and sex-specific mechanisms of epileptogenesis, therapy development for early life seizures, epileptic encephalopathies and post-traumatic epilepsy, pathogenesis and treatments of infantile spasms and Rett syndrome, role of GABA receptors and subcortical centers in brain development and epileptogenesis. Kamran Khodakhah, Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our interests revolve around the motor and non-motor functions of the cerebellum. At a basic science level, we seek to understand the computational principles of the cerebellar circuitry, and how the cerebellum interacts with other brain regions such as the basal ganglia, the brain's dopaminergic system, and the prefrontal cortex. At the clinical level our interests include movement disorders, psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, and Autism Spectrum disorder, as well as the role of the cerebellum in addiction and addictive behavior. Alan D. Legatt, M.D., Ph.D. Professor, The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology Technical and clinical aspects of intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring. Studies of sensory evoked potentials, including identification of component generators and clinical applications. Localization of seizure foci and of eloquent cortical areas. Sophie Molholm, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Pediatrics (Developmental Medicine) I am a Cognitive Neuroscientist with expertise in the use of psychophysics, high-density electrophysiology, and neuroimaging to probe the brain processes underlying perception and cognition in healthy and clinical groups. Much of my basic work is directed at understanding sensory perception, probing how the sensory systems interact in the brain to influence perception and behavior, and investigating how attention impacts these processes. My recent work focuses on the neurodevelopment of these perceptual and cognitive processes in typically developing children, and whether and how these processes are altered in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Solomon L. Moshe, M.D. Professor, The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology My research interests include the pathogenesis and treatments of epileptic encephalopathies and other epilepsies, including post-traumatic epilepsy, role of subcortical networks in seizures, Rett syndrome Lucas L. Sjulson, M.D., Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Our laboratory is focused on understanding the frontolimbic substrates of drug addiction and motivated behavior, with the goal of developing novel neuromodulation-based treatments for drug addiction. To this end, we combine advanced techniques in electrophysiology, optical imaging, and optogenetics to record and manipulate brain activity in rodents engaged in reward- and drug-guided behavior tasks. A secondary focus of the lab is developing novel tools for genetically encoded neuromodulation that have properties favorable for use in human subjects. Mitchell Steinschneider, M.D., Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology (Pediatric Neurology) My research interests include elucidating the neural mechanisms underlying the processing and perception of complex sounds, speech and language. To accomplish these goals, my collaborators and I examine 1) electrocorticographic signals in patients undergoing surgical evaluation for medically intractable epilepsy, 2) scalp recordings in children and adults, and 3) detailed investigations of auditory cortical processing in non-human primates. Elyse S. Sussman, Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience My research is in the field of cognitive neuroscience with a focus on understanding brain processes involved in sensory perception, memory, and attention across the lifespan. Our lab uses electrophysiological recordings and behavioral assessments to link markers of brain function with measures of cognitive abilities. Our work with children and adults provides benchmark measures of complex perceptual abilities that can be used for comparison with children and adults who have cognitive dysfunction due to various etiologies. Our current work is focused on understanding the pathophysiology of cancer-related cognitive dysfunction in children and adults. Jump to: All Behavioral Cellular/Molecular Clinical Computational Developmental Systems Computational Aviv Bergman, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Systems & Computational Biology Dr. Aviv Bergman is a Professor of, and the Founding Chairman of the Department of Systems & Computational Biology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. His research program addresses conceptual aspects of evolution and evolutionary systems biology. Specifically, he focuses on the development of the mathematical language necessary to support precise qualitative phenomenology that can be used to express complex questions arising in evolutionary theory such as the nature and role of multilevel selection, and the evolution of robustness, hierarchy and modularity in biological networks. Ruben Coen-Cagli, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Systems & Computational Biology Our lab studies neural computation to advance understanding of how the brain produces perceptual experiences and guides behavior. We follow a highly interdisciplinary approach that combines theories of neural coding, advanced methods in machine learning and computer vision, psychophysics experiments, and in vivo electrophysiology through collaborations. Donald S. Faber, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience I am interested in the functional organization of neuronal microcircuits. My interests are at the level of synaptic dynamics, intrinsic membrane properties and perturbations of these variables. Kamran Khodakhah, Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our interests revolve around the motor and non-motor functions of the cerebellum. At a basic science level, we seek to understand the computational principles of the cerebellar circuitry, and how the cerebellum interacts with other brain regions such as the basal ganglia, the brain's dopaminergic system, and the prefrontal cortex. At the clinical level our interests include movement disorders, psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, and Autism Spectrum disorder, as well as the role of the cerebellum in addiction and addictive behavior. Adam Kohn, Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience My lab investigates how visual information is encoded and processed by populations of cortical neurons, and how this processing is affected by recent stimulus history, or adaptation. Our work thus addresses issues of neural coding, cortical plasticity, corticocortical signaling, and the neuronal basis of visual perception. Our experiments involve multielectrode recordings in early and midlevel visual areas of anesthetized and awake, behaving macaque monkeys, combined with computational methods and psychophysics. Jose L. Pena, M.D., Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience We investigate how the brain becomes selective to relevant features of the auditory scene, through processing and learning. We use electrophysiological, computational, biochemical and behavioral techniques applied to avian species. Lucas L. Sjulson, M.D., Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Our laboratory is focused on understanding the frontolimbic substrates of drug addiction and motivated behavior, with the goal of developing novel neuromodulation-based treatments for drug addiction. To this end, we combine advanced techniques in electrophysiology, optical imaging, and optogenetics to record and manipulate brain activity in rodents engaged in reward- and drug-guided behavior tasks. A secondary focus of the lab is developing novel tools for genetically encoded neuromodulation that have properties favorable for use in human subjects. Deyou Zheng, Ph.D. Professor, The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology The research areas of the lab are computational genomics and bioinformatics, with a strong focus on mining and interpreting large-scale genomic data (ie, bigdata science). The biological themes of our research are centered on the genetic and epigenetic regulations of early development, including neural development and and heart development, and their dysregulation in diseases. Jump to: All Behavioral Cellular/Molecular Clinical Computational Developmental Systems Developmental Praveen Ballabh, M.D. Professor, Department of Pediatrics (Neonatology) My research focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of brain injury produced by intraventricular hemorrhage in premature infants and developing strategies to restore the development and function of brain in the survivors with IVH. Renata A. Batista-Brito, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our lab studies how postnatal neuronal development shapes sensory information and guides behavior. We combine genetic and systems methods in order to functionally dissect the developmental impact of specific sources of inhibition on the visual cortex in health and disease. Hannes E. Buelow, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Genetics Our lab is interested in dendrite and axon patterning and the development of neuronal connectivity, with a focus on extracellular matrices. To this end, we are using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as our preferred model organism. Kostantin Dobrenis, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience My lab works on neurodegenerative lysosomal storage diseases: this is directed at both efforts to better understand the still elusive critical pathogenetic mechanisms that underlie neuronal dysfunction; and the development of rational therapeutic strategies which over the years has included enzyme replacement, hematopoietic stem cell transplant, gene replacement and pharmacologic modalities. We also have a broad interest in the biology of microglia, particularly their roles in brain development and select pathologies. Scott W. Emmons, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Department of Genetics I am interested in how synaptic connections in the nervous system are molecularly specified. My lab studies this in the context of the connectomics of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans nervous system. We study the function of neural cell adhesion molecules in the establishment of connectivity in a defined neural network. Anna Francesconi, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our research focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular underpinnings of metabotropic glutamate receptor functions in the brain. We are specifically interested in understanding how signals downstream of metabotropic receptors are translated into functional and structural changes in synaptic connections, and how metabotropic signaling is orchestrated and spatially confined within neurons. We apply molecular, cellular, biochemical and imaging approaches to identify protein networks that mediate glutamate metabotropic functions under physiological conditions and in animal models of intellectual disability and autism. Aristea S. Galanopoulou, M.D., Ph.D. Professor, The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology (Pediatric Neurology) My research interests include: age- and sex-specific mechanisms of epileptogenesis, therapy development for early life seizures, epileptic encephalopathies and post-traumatic epilepsy, pathogenesis and treatments of infantile spasms and Rett syndrome, role of GABA receptors and subcortical centers in brain development and epileptogenesis. J. Tiago Goncalves, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience We aim to understand how experience and neuronal activity contribute to the differentiation of adult neural stem cells and the integration of adult-born neurons into functional circuits in the dentate gyrus. We also study how this neuronal maturation process is altered in disease. David H. Hall, Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience I concentrate on providing modern electron microscopic techniques to explore the details of normal and mutant anatomy of the nematode C. elegans. I generally work in collaboration with other C. elegans labs who require our expertise to solve interesting problems in cellular and developmental biology, including sensory reception, synaptic connectivity, mechanisms of cell death, and aging of the nervous system Jean M. Hebert, Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience The neocortex performs our highest cognitive functions. In recent years, how fetal cells generate the neocortex has become better understood. Armed with this knowledge, the Hébert Lab is developing tissue reconstruction approaches to repair or replace adult neocortical tissue after age-related degeneration. Peri Kurshan, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Studying synaptic development and function using C. elegans. Defects in the proper development and function of synapses lead to neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism and Intellectual Disability, however the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes are still largely unknown. We use the nematode C. elegans, which has a simple and stereotyped nervous system and whose connectome has been fully mapped out, to investigate the conserved molecular mechanisms of synapse development. In particular, we study how presynaptic components including cell adhesion molecules, active zone scaffold proteins, calcium channels and synaptic vesicles arrive at the synapse and form a mature and fully functional presynaptic compartment. We combine the power of worm genetics with high resolution imaging and optical physiology readouts to elucidate the role of key molecules. These approaches have led to discoveries suggesting that the role of synaptic cell adhesion molecules such as Neurexin may be different than initially hypothesized, as we have shown that its role in presynaptic development is independent of extracellular activation and downstream of other initiating factors. Sophie Molholm, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Pediatrics (Developmental Medicine) I am a Cognitive Neuroscientist with expertise in the use of psychophysics, high-density electrophysiology, and neuroimaging to probe the brain processes underlying perception and cognition in healthy and clinical groups. Much of my basic work is directed at understanding sensory perception, probing how the sensory systems interact in the brain to influence perception and behavior, and investigating how attention impacts these processes. My recent work focuses on the neurodevelopment of these perceptual and cognitive processes in typically developing children, and whether and how these processes are altered in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Solomon L. Moshe, M.D. Professor, The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology My research interests include the pathogenesis and treatments of epileptic encephalopathies and other epilepsies, including post-traumatic epilepsy, role of subcortical networks in seizures, Rett syndrome Gary J. Schwartz, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Medicine (Endocrinology) I am interested in the systems neurobiology and physiology of energy balance, including appetitive and consummatory phases of ingestive behavior, thermogenesis , glucose homeostasis, and gut-brain communication. I am particularly interested in the identification nd characterization of sensory transducers and neural circuits that relay and integrate incoming information from target organs whose feedback helps determine when and how we eat. Frank F. Soldner, M.D. Assistant Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our laboratory focuses on modeling human brain development and function in a cell culture dish to understand the molecular and cellular basis of disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. We employ an interdisciplinary approach, integrating population genetics and genome-scale epigenetic data combined with human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) and gene editing technologies, allowing us to investigate how the complex interaction of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors contribute to the progression of neurological disorders. Mitchell Steinschneider, M.D., Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology (Pediatric Neurology) My research interests include elucidating the neural mechanisms underlying the processing and perception of complex sounds, speech and language. To accomplish these goals, my collaborators and I examine 1) electrocorticographic signals in patients undergoing surgical evaluation for medically intractable epilepsy, 2) scalp recordings in children and adults, and 3) detailed investigations of auditory cortical processing in non-human primates. Elyse S. Sussman, Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience My research is in the field of cognitive neuroscience with a focus on understanding brain processes involved in sensory perception, memory, and attention across the lifespan. Our lab uses electrophysiological recordings and behavioral assessments to link markers of brain function with measures of cognitive abilities. Our work with children and adults provides benchmark measures of complex perceptual abilities that can be used for comparison with children and adults who have cognitive dysfunction due to various etiologies. Our current work is focused on understanding the pathophysiology of cancer-related cognitive dysfunction in children and adults. Steven U. Walkley, D.V.M., Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience My research is focused on the molecular and cellular pathogenesis of genetic diseases that impact the function of the endosomal-autophagosomal-lysosomal system of neurons. Our goal is to better understand pathogenesis and to use these insights to develop therapies for these disorders. Jump to: All Behavioral Cellular/Molecular Clinical Computational Developmental Systems Systems Joseph C. Arezzo, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience human multicenter clinical trials assessment of possible neurotoxicology or seizures in rats, dogs, monkeys (most work done off campus) Renata A. Batista-Brito, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our lab studies how postnatal neuronal development shapes sensory information and guides behavior. We combine genetic and systems methods in order to functionally dissect the developmental impact of specific sources of inhibition on the visual cortex in health and disease. Aviv Bergman, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Systems & Computational Biology Dr. Aviv Bergman is a Professor of, and the Founding Chairman of the Department of Systems & Computational Biology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. His research program addresses conceptual aspects of evolution and evolutionary systems biology. Specifically, he focuses on the development of the mathematical language necessary to support precise qualitative phenomenology that can be used to express complex questions arising in evolutionary theory such as the nature and role of multilevel selection, and the evolution of robustness, hierarchy and modularity in biological networks. Ruben Coen-Cagli, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Systems & Computational Biology Our lab studies neural computation to advance understanding of how the brain produces perceptual experiences and guides behavior. We follow a highly interdisciplinary approach that combines theories of neural coding, advanced methods in machine learning and computer vision, psychophysics experiments, and in vivo electrophysiology through collaborations. Donald S. Faber, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience I am interested in the functional organization of neuronal microcircuits. My interests are at the level of synaptic dynamics, intrinsic membrane properties and perturbations of these variables. Yonatan I. Fishman, Ph.D. Associate Professor, The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology Research in our laboratory examines neural mechanisms underlying auditory perception of speech, music, and other complex sounds at the cortical level. Of particular interest are the neural processes that allow the brain to perceptually separate spectrally and temporally overlapping sounds in complex acoustic environments, e.g., speakers’ voices at a cocktail party. These neural processes are studied via electrophysiological recordings of neural activity in auditory cortex of awake, behaving non-human primates. Parallel collaborative and translational studies involving both non-invasive and intracranial electrophysiological recordings in humans aim at relating mechanisms of complex sound processing in animal models and humans. J. Tiago Goncalves, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience We aim to understand how experience and neuronal activity contribute to the differentiation of adult neural stem cells and the integration of adult-born neurons into functional circuits in the dentate gyrus. We also study how this neuronal maturation process is altered in disease. Kamran Khodakhah, Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our interests revolve around the motor and non-motor functions of the cerebellum. At a basic science level, we seek to understand the computational principles of the cerebellar circuitry, and how the cerebellum interacts with other brain regions such as the basal ganglia, the brain's dopaminergic system, and the prefrontal cortex. At the clinical level our interests include movement disorders, psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, and Autism Spectrum disorder, as well as the role of the cerebellum in addiction and addictive behavior. Adam Kohn, Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience My lab investigates how visual information is encoded and processed by populations of cortical neurons, and how this processing is affected by recent stimulus history, or adaptation. Our work thus addresses issues of neural coding, cortical plasticity, corticocortical signaling, and the neuronal basis of visual perception. Our experiments involve multielectrode recordings in early and midlevel visual areas of anesthetized and awake, behaving macaque monkeys, combined with computational methods and psychophysics. Sophie Molholm, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Pediatrics (Developmental Medicine) I am a Cognitive Neuroscientist with expertise in the use of psychophysics, high-density electrophysiology, and neuroimaging to probe the brain processes underlying perception and cognition in healthy and clinical groups. Much of my basic work is directed at understanding sensory perception, probing how the sensory systems interact in the brain to influence perception and behavior, and investigating how attention impacts these processes. My recent work focuses on the neurodevelopment of these perceptual and cognitive processes in typically developing children, and whether and how these processes are altered in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Saleem M. Nicola, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience We study the neural basis of reward-seeking behavior, decision-making and drug addiction. Our research uses rodent behavioral models and methods including electrophysiology, pharmacology, and optogenetics in behaving animals. The goal of our work is to determine how neurons in the nucleus accumbens and related circuitry compute, and how their computations influence behavior. Jose L. Pena, M.D., Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience We investigate how the brain becomes selective to relevant features of the auditory scene, through processing and learning. We use electrophysiological, computational, biochemical and behavioral techniques applied to avian species. Alberto E. Pereda, M.D., Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Synaptic transmission; properties and plasticity of gap junction-mediated electrical synapses; functional interactions between chemical and electrical synapses. Synaptic plasticity at auditory afferents. Jelena Radulovic, M.D., Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our lab investigates the neurobiological mechanisms by which stress effects on memory systems adversely impact emotional behavior relevant for anxiety and depression. We study these questions by applying pharmacological, molecular, and cellular/circuit approaches in genetically engineered mice. Rachel A. Ross, M.D., Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our translational laboratory uses molecular, behavioral, and systems neuroscience tools to better understand the pathophysiology and biology that underly the full spectrum of eating disorders from anorexia to obesity in hopes of improving treatment and reducing stigma. We are focused on how neuropeptides regulate specific circuits at the interface of stress and metabolism, with an interest in sex differences and behavior differences that result in outcomes across the weight spectrum related to psychiatric and medical illness. Stephanie Rudolph, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience Our research focuses on how neuromodulation affects synaptic plasticity, inhibitory signaling, and multisensory integration to shape behavior in health and disease. Gary J. Schwartz, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Medicine (Endocrinology) I am interested in the systems neurobiology and physiology of energy balance, including appetitive and consummatory phases of ingestive behavior, thermogenesis , glucose homeostasis, and gut-brain communication. I am particularly interested in the identification nd characterization of sensory transducers and neural circuits that relay and integrate incoming information from target organs whose feedback helps determine when and how we eat. Lucas L. Sjulson, M.D., Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Our laboratory is focused on understanding the frontolimbic substrates of drug addiction and motivated behavior, with the goal of developing novel neuromodulation-based treatments for drug addiction. To this end, we combine advanced techniques in electrophysiology, optical imaging, and optogenetics to record and manipulate brain activity in rodents engaged in reward- and drug-guided behavior tasks. A secondary focus of the lab is developing novel tools for genetically encoded neuromodulation that have properties favorable for use in human subjects. Mitchell Steinschneider, M.D., Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology (Pediatric Neurology) My research interests include elucidating the neural mechanisms underlying the processing and perception of complex sounds, speech and language. To accomplish these goals, my collaborators and I examine 1) electrocorticographic signals in patients undergoing surgical evaluation for medically intractable epilepsy, 2) scalp recordings in children and adults, and 3) detailed investigations of auditory cortical processing in non-human primates. Elyse S. Sussman, Ph.D. Professor, Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience My research is in the field of cognitive neuroscience with a focus on understanding brain processes involved in sensory perception, memory, and attention across the lifespan. Our lab uses electrophysiological recordings and behavioral assessments to link markers of brain function with measures of cognitive abilities. Our work with children and adults provides benchmark measures of complex perceptual abilities that can be used for comparison with children and adults who have cognitive dysfunction due to various etiologies. Our current work is focused on understanding the pathophysiology of cancer-related cognitive dysfunction in children and adults.