Program Mentors
Program Mentors
Stevenson Professor of Neurobiology
Professor of Pharmacology
Professor of Cell & Developmental Biology
Academic Interests: Nervous System Development, Including Neuronal Pathfinding, Target Recognition and Synaptogenesis
: 6720A Medical Research Building III
465 21st Avenue South
Nashville, - 37232- : kendal.s.broadie@Vanderbilt.Edu
Professor of Biochemistry
Academic Interests: Molecular Mechanisms of Neurotrophin Signaling
: 625 Light Hall
23rd at Pierce Avenue
Nashville, - 37232- : bruce.carter@Vanderbilt.Edu
Professor of Neurology
Department Chair of Neurology
Margaret and John Warner Chair for Neurological Education
Academic Interests: Dr. Chetkovich’s research laboratory is focused on the molecular mechanisms that underlie the targeting of ion channels to synapses and other specialized areas of neurons. In particular, Dr. Chetkovich’s laboratory a multi-faceted approach, including electrophysiological, biochemical, molecular biology tools and gene therapy regulation of voltage-gated ion channels and how regulation of these channels may play a role in neuropsychiatric diseases such as epilepsy, autism and major depressive disorder.
: A-0118 Medical Center North
Nashville, - 37232-2551- : dane.m.chetkovich@vanderbilt.edu
- : 615-936-0060
Professor of Cell & Developmental Biology
Academic Interests: Early development of the central nervous system, and the role of Sonic Hedgehog in these processes and in cancer
: 4110A Medical Research Building III
465 21st Avenue South
Nashville, - 37232- : chin.chiang@Vanderbilt.Edu
Professor of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
Louise B. McGavock Chair (#10)
Academic Interests: Structure, Function and Subcellular Targeting of Ca2+/calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II in Health and Disease
: 724 Robinson Research Building
2215 Garland Avenue
Nashville, - 37232- : roger.colbran@Vanderbilt.Edu
- : 615-936-1630
Research Professor of Pharmacology
Professor of Pharmacology, Emeritus
Academic Interests: Cellular/Molecular Mechanisms of Regulation of Neuronal Function; Novel Treatments for CNS Disorders
: 1215D Light Hall
2215-B Garland Avenue
Nashville, - 37232- : jeffrey.conn@Vanderbilt.Edu
Professor of Anesthesiology
Professor of Molecular Biology & Biophysics
Academic Interests: Molecular Physiology of CNS and PNS Cation-Chloride Cotransporters
: 1265 Medical Research Building IV
2215B Garland Ave
Nashville, - 37232- : eric.delpire@Vanderbilt.Edu
Joel G. Hardman and Mary K. Parr Chair in Pharmacology
Professor of Biochemistry
Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
Professor of Pharmacology
Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Academic Interests: Molecular Neurobiology; Gene Expression; Receptor Diversity; Neurotransmitters; RNA Editing; Knockout
: 8140 Medical Research Building III
465 21st Avenue South
Nashville, - 37232- : ron.emeson@Vanderbilt.Edu
Director, Division of Pediatric Neurology
Associate Professor of Pediatrics,
Associate Professor of Cell & Developmental Biology,
Gerald M. Fenichel Chair in Neurology
Associate Professor of Neurology
Associate Professor of Biological Sciences
Academic Interests: Mechanisms of cortical development using mouse models and human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPCs)
: 6158C Medical Research Building III
465 21st Avenue South
Nashville, - 37232- : kevin.ess@Vanderbilt.Edu
Professor of Biological Sciences
Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology
Stevenson Chair in Biological Sciences
Academic Interests: The research goals of the Graham laboratory are to understand the molecular mechanisms underpinning vesicle-mediated protein transport and membrane biogenesis. Most of our effort is focused on determining how type IV P-type ATPases (P4-ATPases) contribute to the establishment of membrane asymmetry and budding of transport vesicles from organelle membranes using the yeast model system.
: 2433 Stevenson Center
Nashville, - 37235- : tr.graham@vanderbilt.edu
- : 615-343-1835
Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology
Associate Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
Associate Professor of Pharmacology
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Academic Interests: Neuroscience, motivation, reward, synapse, neurotransmission, synaptic plasticity
: P435H Medical Research Building IV
2213 Garland Ave.
Nashville, Tennessee - 37232- : brad.grueter@Vanderbilt.Edu
Associate Professor of Pharmacology
Academic Interests: Role of Dopamine Receptor Trafficking in Neural Pathology and Development
: 454B Preston Research Building
23rd at Pierce Avenue
Nashville, - 37232- : eugenia.gurevich@Vanderbilt.Edu
Professor of Pharmacology
Professor of Biochemistry
Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
Aileen M. Lange and Annie Mary Lyle Chair in Cardiovascular Research
Academic Interests: Understanding the molecular basis of signaling mechanisms mediated by G proteins, which are switch proteins. G proteins are normally inactive, but a receptor that has received a specific signal can activate G proteins, leading to changes in the activity of enzymes that produce second messengers such as cyclic AMP and calcium.
: 442 Robinson Research Building
Nashville, Tennessee - 37232- : heidi.hamm@vanderbilt.edu
- : 615-343-9536
Associate Professor of Medicine, Diabetes, Endocrinology & Metab Division
Academic Interests: Antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin E, oxidative stress, animal behavior, learning and memory, Alzheimer’s disease, prenatal development, neuroscience
: Suite 7465 MRB IV
2213 Garland Ave.
Nashville , Tennessee - 37232- : fiona.harrison@Vanderbilt.Edu
Associate Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology
Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery
Academic Interests: We study the biology of brain tumors and the properties of stem cells in normal brain.
: 761 Preston Research Building
2220 Pierce Ave.
Nashville, Tennessee - 37232- : rebecca.ihrie@vanderbilt.edu
- : 615-936-2951
Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry
Academic Interests: Our research focuses on the structures and functions of proteins and protein complexes involved in cellular transport, or trafficking. We use a variety of structural, biochemical, and biophysical techniques in order to understand the mechanisms by which cells control their internal transport logistics and ensure key transmembrane protein cargoes are moved to the correct spatial location in a timely fashion.
: U5224 MRB III
465 21st Avenue South
Nashville, - 37232- : lauren.p.jackson@vanderbilt.edu
- : 615-875-0744
Associate Professor of Pharmacology
Academic Interests: As noted on her faculty page on the Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, her “In Vivo Pharmacology team is dedicated to utilizing translational approaches, including assessment of changes in behavior, neurochemistry and imaging endpoints such as PET and functional MRI, to explore the underlying mechanisms of novel ligands targeting different G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) and transporters within the CNS and the implications of these effects on different disease states, most notably schizophrenia.”
: 418 PRB
Nashville, Tennessee - 37232- : carrie.jones@Vanderbilt.Edu
- : 615-322-6347
Associate Professor of Pharmacology
Associate Professor of Neurology
Academic Interests: GABAA receptors, GABAergic signaling, Underlying mechanisms of epilepsy, autism, brain development
: 6147 MRB III
Nashville, Tennessee - 37232- : jingqiong.kang@vanderbilt.edu
- : 615-936-8399
Associate Professor of Medicine
Associate Professor of Cell & Developmental Biology
Academic Interests: Developmental, genetic, molecular and biochemical aspects of craniofacial morphogenesis
: 1165B Light Hall
2315 Garland Avenue
Nashville, - 37232- : ela.knapik@Vanderbilt.Edu
Professor of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
Professor of Cell & Developmental Biology
Louise B. McGavock Chair Professor of Medicine
Academic Interests: Interaction of genetic and epigenetic factors to mantain pancreatic cellular identities
: 947 FB Medical Research Building IV
2213 Garland Avenue
Nashville, - 37232- : mark.magnuson@Vanderbilt.Edu
Professor of Biological Sciences
Professor of Pharmacology
Stevenson Chair in Biological Sciences
Director of the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience for Undergraduates
Professor of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences
Academic Interests: Molecular Neurobiology of the Visual, Circadian, and Serotonergic Systems and Their Interactions
: 8270A Medical Research Building III
465 21st Avenue South
Nashville, - 37232- : douglas.g.mcmahon@Vanderbilt.Edu
Research Professor of Cell & Developmental Biology
Professor Emeritus of Cell & Developmental Biology
Academic Interests: Molecular Genetics of Neural Specificity in a Nematode Model
: 3120-A Medical Research Building III
465 21st Avenue South
Nashville, - 37232- : david.miller@Vanderbilt.Edu
Professor of Pharmacology
Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Professor of Psychology
: 7140 Medical Research Building III
465 21st Avenue South
Nashville, Tennessee - 37240-7933- : lisa.monteggia@vanderbilt.edu
- : 615-936-5483
Annette Schaffer Eskind Chair in the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center
Professor of Pharmacology
Professor of Pediatrics
Professor of Special Education
Academic Interests: Rett syndrome, Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Neurology, Neuroscience, Genetics, Epigenetics, Autism, Kennedy Center, Epilepsy, Preclinical, Translational, pluripotent stem cells, disease models, autonomic nervous system, breathing, apnea, hyperventilation, cardiac arrhythmia, sudden death, clinical trials, read-through drugs, growth factors, plasticity
: PMB 40 230 Appleton Pl.
Nashville, - 37203- : jeffrey.l.neul@vanderbilt.edu
- : 615-322-8242
Associate Professor of Medicine
Associate Professor of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
Academic Interests: Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism
: 7465 Medical Research Building
2213 Garland Ave.
Nashville, Tennessee - 37232- : kevin.niswender@vanderbilt.edu
Assistant Professor of Pharmacology
Assistant Professor of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Academic Interests: Our research seeks to characterize and modulate the precise circuits in the brain that underlie both adaptive and maladaptive processes in reward, motivation, and associative learning, to develop improved treatments for complex and devastating psychiatric disorders.
Our research is guided by two overarching questions:
1. How do neural circuits integrate experiences with positive and negative stimuli to guide future behavior?
2. What are the molecular dysregulations that drive maladaptation in these processes?
One of the most fundamental forms of learning is the ability to associate positive and negative stimuli with cues that predict their occurrence. The ability to seek out rewarding stimuli and avoid negative stimuli is critical to survival and is evolutionarily conserved across species. Organisms achieve this by assigning value to cues that predict these stimuli; however, dysregulation of these processes can precipitate a number of psychiatric disease states. Addiction, depression, and anxiety are all examples of syndromes characterized in part by dysregulation of associative learning. These are among the most prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders and are highly comorbid. Therefore, understanding the neural mechanisms governing associative learning has widespread implications for developing treatment interventions for psychiatric disease. Our work aims to combine cutting edge technology with comprehensive models of psychiatric disease to understand the circuit and molecular dysregulation that underlies these disorders.
: 865 Light Hall
2215-B Garland Ave. #201
Nashville, Tennessee - 37232- : erin.calipari@vanderbilt.edu
Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
Louise B. McGavok Chair in Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
Academic Interests: We study how environmental factors, such as nutrition and hormones, impact the development of neural circuits that control behavior and metabolism in order to better understand how early events in an individual’s life influence traits like feeding and metabolic physiology.
: 747 Light Hall
2215 Garland Avenue
Nashville, Tennessee - 37232- : richard.simerly@vanderbilt.edu
- : 615-322-7030
Professor of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
Bixler-Johnson-Mayes Chair in Basic Sciences
Professor of Pharmacology
Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Academic Interests: Synaptic Mechanisms in Addiction and Anxiety
: 750A Robinson Research Building
2215 Garland Avenue
Nashville, - 37232- : danny.winder@Vanderbilt.Edu