Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

Cellular and molecular neuroscientists seek to understand the development and function of the nervous system at the level of individual molecules and macromolecular complexes.

This broad field encompasses researchers utilizing a variety of multidisciplinary approaches such as protein biochemistry, molecular cloning, site-directed mutagenesis, transgenesis, patch clamping, single and multiphoton microscopy, as well as other biophotonic-based methods to explore topics ranging from the structure and function of individual molecules such as ion channels to the molecular basis of behavior.

Some specific areas of focus include:

  • axon guidance and regeneration
  • cytoskeleton, growth cones, and microtubule motors
  • synaptic transmitter release, plasticity, and excitability
  • receptor-ligand interactions
  • cell signaling and cell death
  • transduction in the inner ear
  • epigenetic mechanisms in homeostasis and disease
  • visual processing in the retina
  • signal transduction and behaviors of microglia
  • molecular drivers of neurodegenerative diseases and aging
  • the molecular basis of neuronal differentiation