Neuroscience Research

The Nash Family Department of Neuroscience benefits from several Research Centers and Institutes which are making significant strides in our understanding of the brain under normal conditions and in a wide range of pathological states. These Research Centers include several that are funded by center and program grants from government agencies such as the National Institutes of Mental Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and National Institute on Aging.

Research Centers and Program Project Grants

Our research centers are making significant strides in our understanding of the human brain. We’ve received numerous grants from government agencies such as the National Institutes of Mental Health and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Our research centers include:

Training Programs

Our Department offers interdisciplinary programs for both predoctoral and postdoctoral research training in specific scientific areas as supported through the National Institutes of Health.

Research Laboratories

We have over 38 different labs, each with their own investigative team and individualized research projects.  Each lab is run by a member of our world-class teaching faculty. See a list of faculty by research area.

Synaptic Circuitry found in cellular mechanisms

Benson Laboratory

Cellular Mechanisms of Circuit Formation & Plasticity 

Image of human cells

Blanchard Lab

Genetic and Environmental Vulnerability to Neurodegeneration

Cai Lab

Cai Lab

Temporal Dynamics of Learning and Memory

Image of neural circuits within brain cells.

Castellano Laboratory

Laboratory of Neuroimmunology & Neurodegeneration

Basal lateral nucleus of Amygdala

Clem Laboratory

Laboratory of Emotional Brain Plasticity

Aplysia (also known as large sea slugs)

Cropper Laboratory

Neural Mechanisms for Sensorimotor Integration

synaptopathy graphic

Dai Lab

Synaptopathy of Neuropsychiatric Disorders

De Araujo Lab

De Araujo

Integrative Physiology

Image of Caged GABA, calcium, glutamate, IPs

Ellis - Davies Laboratory

Optical Methods & Neurophysiology

friedel-project-img.jpg

Friedel Laboratory

Molecular Mechanisms of Brain Tumorigenesis

MRI Scans of brains affected by dementia and addiction

Goate Laboratory

Genetics of Neuropsychiatric Disease

3D image of an antiparallel double helix

Haghighi Laboratory

molecular mechanisms in suicide risk and resilience

Image of synapses communicating within nervous system

Hof Laboratory

Laboratory of Neuromorphology

Image of Synapses Firing

Huntley Laboratory

Laboratory of Synaptic Circuit Development & Plasticity

Image under microscope

Hurd Laboratory

Molecular Neuropsychopharmacology

Image of brain reacting to addiction

Kenny Lab

Neurobiological Mechanisms of Drug Addiction, Obesity, and Schizophrenia

maze-lab-neuroscience.jpg

Maze Laboratory

Laboratory of Mechanistic Neuroepigenetics and Disease

Image representing change in body’s metabolism

Mobbs Laboratory

Laboratory of Aging & Metabolism

Image under microscope

Nestler Laboratory

Molecular Mechanisms of Addiction & Depression

Lab slide of brain matter displaying age-related cognitive decline

Raj Laboratory

Laboratory of Functional Genomics

Rajan Lab

Rajan Lab

Brain Research and Artificial Intelligence

Rich Lab

Rich Lab

Neurophysiology of Affect and Cognition

Medical scan depicting side view of the left hemisphere of the brain

Rudebeck Laboratory

Laboratory of Emotion Regulation & Decision-making

Image of neuron firing signals

Russo Laboratory

Laboratory of Neuroplasticity & Behavior

lab graphic

Saez Lab

Human Neurophysiology Laboratory

Mouse sitting atop crackers with cheese on both sides

Salton Laboratory

Molecular Neurobiology of Neurotrophin & Neuropeptide Signaling

Histone modifying enzymes

Schaefer Laboratory

Laboratory of Brain Epigenetics

Side view of right hemisphere of brain

Schiller Laboratory

Laboratory of Affective Neuroscience

Graphic featuring statistical and integrated analysis of bioinformatics

Shen Laboratory

Laboratory of Bioinformatics

Shuman Lab

Shuman Lab

Circuit Dysfunction and Behavior Lab

Neurotransmitters activating G protein-coupled receptors

Slesinger Laboratory

Laboratory of Membrane Excitability & Disease

neuroscience lab graphic

Herbert Wu Lab

Laboratory of Flexible Behavior

Xiaoting Wu Lab

Xiaoting Wu Lab

Neural Mechanisms underlying Social Cognition

Yang Lab

Yang Lab

Neuroepigenetics & Psychiatric Diseases

Orange fluorescence microscopy image of a growth of neurites from dorsal root ganglia

Zou Laboratory

Laboratory of Axonal Growth & Neuronal Regeneration 

Publications