Professor of Pharmacology

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Mechanisms of Neuromodulation in Central Neurons

Signaling between cells in the brain relies on electrical and chemical transmission. Ion channels traverse brain cell membranes to serve as conduits for the flow of ionic current; this current creates the potential differences across the membrane that are ultimately responsible for triggering release of the chemical messengers that act on nearby neurons.

Our laboratory attempts to characterize neuronal signaling in terms of identifying the molecular basis for neuronal ion channels and understanding cellular mechanisms that modulate their activity. We are particularly interested in studying those ion channels that determine intrinsic excitability of brain cells, because they are often subject to regulation by endogenous neurochemicals and since they ultimately mediate effects of many drugs, therapeutic and otherwise.

A number of technical approaches are employed in our laboratory, including chemical neuroanatomy, cellular electrophysiology in brain tissue and transfected cells, molecular biology and in vivo gene transfer. Our hope is that information combined from these different approaches will illuminate mechanisms responsible for physiological and pharmacological modulation of neuronal excitability.

 AdenoGFP An example of 'in vivo' gene transfer
We prepared adenoviral vectors directing expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) downstream of a cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter and injected those viruses into target muscle (i.e., tongue). After allowing time for retrograde transport to cell bodies and for expression, high levels of GFP were observed in numerous hypoglossal motoneurons that innervate the tongue. Note the extensive dendritic arbor of the motoneurons and their axons descending ventrolaterally toward the rootlet of the XII cranial nerve.

If you would like to learn more about our work, please visit the About Us page where we provide some seminars detailing our studies.