Systems Neuroscience


	Systems Neuroscience Home » Research » Systems Neuroscience Systems neuroscience is one of the major foci of the Neuroscience Program at Emory with over 30 faculty working in this area. Research spans the range of motor, sensory, behavioral, and cognitive neuroscience using a wide variety of techniques that encompass in vitro and in vivo electrophysiology, functional brain imaging, anatomy, and molecular techniques. Areas of interest include neural substrates of learning and memory, cognition and attention, decision-making and reward, cross-modal interactions between sensory systems, mechanisms of vestibular and visual integration into control of eye movements, anatomy and physiology of the basal ganglia, physiology of oculomotor behavior, and central regulation of autonomic functions. Faculty with interests in Systems Neuroscience: Jocelyne Bachevalier jbachev@emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Emory Profile Hippocampal and temporal lobe regulation of learning and memory in primates. Gregory Berns gberns@emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website My research is aimed at understanding the neurobiological basis for individual preferences and how the biology places constraints on the decisions people make -- a field now known as neuroeconomics. To achieve this goal, we use functional MRI to measure the activity in key parts of the brain involved in decision making. We then link these activity traces to various phenotypes of decision making. For example, we have linked the pattern of activity in the striatum with the receipt of unexpected, salient information with the tendency to alter one's behavior. More recently, we have used the timecourse of activity as a proxy for experiential utility, in the process, bridging the gap between experience and choice. Ongoing research projects are developing these methods to probe decision-making in adolescents as well as group decision-making and the influence of peer pressure at the neurobiological level. Cathrin Buetefisch cathrin.buetefisch@emory.edu Training Faculty My research is focused on improving the understanding of mechanisms underlying motor system plasticity and developing means to modulate plasticity with the clinical translational aspect of formulating rehabilitation strategies to improve functional recovery in neurological patients. Motor cortex reorganization plays a major role in post-stroke recovery of motor function, and is a primary therapeutic target for rehabilitation. Mechanisms that modify synaptic efficacy, such as long-term potentiation (LTP) are thought to be involved in this process. In my lab, we study mechanisms and means to modulate motor cortex reorganization in the intact and injured brain using neuroimaging techniques, such as functional and structural MRI, and electrophysiological techniques such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and pharmaceutical interventions. Elizabeth Buffalo Elizabeth.Buffalo@emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website Our research is aimed at understanding the neural mechanisms that support learning and memory. Using neurophysiological techniques, we record simultaneously from multiple electrodes in the hippocampus and surrounding cortex in awake, behaving monkeys. We investigate how changes in neuronal activity correlate with the monkey's ability to learn and remember. We are particularly interested in the activity of neuronal networks that underlie learning and memory processes. We use spectral analysis techniques to investigate the role of oscillatory activity and neuronal synchronization in cognition. Andrew Butler ajbutle@emory.edu Associate Faculty My research focuses primarily on how volitional movement, motor learning, and organized motor behavior are represented in the human brain. We are interested in evaluating the effect of constraint-induced movement therapy on cortical motor reorganization following stroke using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Future concerns address the use of complementary and alternative methods, such as mental imagery and virtual reality, as vehicles to expand rehabilitation interventional possibilities. We are interested in the relationship between molecular science and rehabilitation. Specifically, we seek to develop collaborations that permit ways to explore changes in the nervous system through blood samples or other biomarkers. Ronald Calabrese rcalabre@biology.emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website Our lab studies the neural circuit that controls the hearts of medicinal leeches. We record the electrical activity of neurons in this circuit with microelectrodes. Using voltage clamp techniques, we isolate and characterize the individual ionic currents which contribute to this activity. We also study the biophysics of synaptic transmission and the role of background calcium in synaptic plasticity using Ca imaging. To understand how membrane currents and synaptic transmission interact to produce the activity of the circuit, we simulate the ionic currents and cell connectivity with realistic biophysical models. We also use such models in real time simulation to construct hybrid systems between computer and neuron to analyze circuit and neuronal function. We address the general questions of how rhythmic motor patterns are generated and coordinated by networks of interneurons and how these patterns are used to produce the final pattern of activity in motor neurons that produce functionally coordinated movement. Mahlon R. DeLong medmrd@emory.edu Associate Faculty Our research is directed at a better understanding of the functional organization of the basal ganglia and thalamus and the role of these structures in behavior and clinical disorders. We are particularly interested in the role of these structures in voluntary movement and in the pathophysiology of movement disorders. Our research employs the techniques of single cell recording from behaving animals, lesioning with neurotoxins, tract-tracing and combined anatomical/physiologic mapping. Andrew Escayg aescayg@genetics.emory.edu Training Faculty Our lab uses a combination of human and mouse genetics, mouse disease models, molecular techniques, EEG, and genome analysis/bioinformatics in order to determine the molecular basis of inherited neurological disorders. We have a broad interest in neurological disease, including epilepsy, ataxia and other movement disorders, and migraine. Our lab has several mouse lines with mutations in voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSC) which model severe childhood epilepsies (Dravet Syndrome, Genetic Epilepsy with Febrile Seizures Plus) as well as absence epilepsy. Current projects in the lab include the contribution of VGSC to excitatory and inhibitory signaling, the mechanisms underlying febrile seizures, the effect of VGSC mutations on stress system function, the mechanisms underlying the stress-epilepsy connection, and the use of one VGSC mutation to ameliorate the more severe phenotype of another VGSC mutation. The long-term goal of our research is to develop better diagnostic tools and more effective therapeutic agents for neurological diseases such as epilepsy. Mark M. Goodman mgoodma@emory.edu Training Faculty Research interests emcompass PET and SPECT radiotracer development of heart, brain and oncology agents with an emphasis on the design and evaluation of radiolabeled fatty acids for in vivo study of regional fatty acid metabolism in heart disorders, cocaine analogs for in vivo study of the dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine reuptake sites in neurodegenerative disease, psychiatric and addictive disorders, heterocyclic spiperone analogs for in vivo mapping of D2 dopamine recpetors in psychiatric disorders, peripheral benzodiazepine receptor ligands for imaging peripheral vascular disease and mappping of intracranial tumors, carbohydrates for in vivo study of regional glucose metabolism in heart disorders, brain disorders, and cancer, and alicyclic and branched chain amino acids for in vivo mapping of intracranial ans systemic tumors. James G. Herndon jim@rmy.emory.edu Associate Faculty My research area is the decline in cognitive function with advancing age in the rhesus monkey, and the physiological and neural changes that accompany this decline. Ellen Hess ehess@pharm.emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website Our laboratory uses molecular, genetic, anatomical and behavioral approaches to determine the contribution of the basal ganglia and cerebellum to normal movements and movement disorders. Our specific interest is the pathophysiological basis of dystonia, a movement disorder characterized by abnormal patterns and strengths of muscle contractions caused by dysfunction of the basal ganglia, the cerebellum or both. Shawn Hochman shawn.hochman@emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website We have broad interests in synaptic plasticity and neuromodulation associated with spinal cord injury, pain, locomotion, and Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS). Xiaoping Hu xhu@bme.emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website The research in our lab lies in the development of biomedical imaging techniques, particularly those based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and their application to the understanding of anatomy, function and physiology of brain in its normal state and diseased state. Specifically, we are focusing on functional MRI and diffusion tensor imaging and interested in furthering and using these techniques for understanding how brain works at a system level. Current projects include improvement of image acquisition and processing methods, investigation of underlying biophysics and physiology of imaging measurements, and elucidation of neurobiological underpinning of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Donald R. Humphrey dhumphr@emory.edu Associate Faculty Our laboratory focuses upon the organization and the role of the primate motor cortex in the control of learned, skilled movements. Two major areas of research are currently addressed. In the first, experiments are conducted with alert, behaving monkeys in which modern electrophysiological methods are used to examine the plasticity of motor cortical representations of the body. In the second series of experiments, we are examining the extent to which the discharge of motor cortical neurons can be brought under voluntary control by the alert animal. Dieter Jaeger djaeger@emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website We combine electrophysiological recordings and detailed compartmental modelling to examine how neurons in the basal ganglia and in the cerebellum process their inputs. In particular we are interested in the functional role of inhibitory inputs and the role of active neural properties in network processing. We also apply these concepts to investigate the mechanisms underlying the clinical effects of deep brain stimulation using multisite recordings in anesthetized rodents. Jorge L. Juncos jjuncos@emory.edu Associate Faculty The research in this laboratory uses neurochemical and behavioral techniques to study the mechanisms of drug action in the rat central nervous system (CNS). Comparing the effects of selective pharmacological probes and drug administration strategies we hope to better understand the neural basis of motor behaviors in animals. Shella Keilholz shella.keilholz@bme.gatech.edu Associate Faculty Click To View My Lab Website Click To View My Department Website My lab focuses on developing imaging methods to study networks of activity in the brain, primarily using MRI in rodents and humans. We are especially interested in mapping the spatiotemporal aspects of network function in the brain and relating the MRI signals to the underlying neural activity using concurrent fMRI and electrophysiology. Current projects include looking at the behavioral relevance of dynamic network activity; using intrinsic signal fluctuations to map networks of synchronized activity in the rat brain and their neural origins; and manipulating network activity via surgical or chemical interventions to tease out directional influences within the network. Michael J. Kuhar michael.kuhar@emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website Our general interests include the structure and function of the brain, and particulary the deficits that occur in neuropsychiatric disease. There is an emphasis on neurotransmitter systems and their involvement in brain function. A recent focus has been on molecular and cellular mechanisms of drug addiction, and particularly on novel genes associated with the addiction process. Current topics of research include CART peptides, development of medications for drug addicts, and a study of novel genes involved in the addiction process. Lian Li lianli@pharm.emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website My laboratory studies the molecular basis of neurotransmitter release and pathogenic mechanisms of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Huntington's diseases. A current major focus of our work is to delineate the molecular pathways by which mutations in familial Parkinson's disease proteins ( -synuclein, parkin, DJ-1, and UCH-L1) lead to neurodegeneration and identify additional molecular players in the pathogenic pathways. We are also studying regulation mechanisms of vesicular trafficking and investigating the role of abnormal vesicular trafficking and protein ubiquitination in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Huntington's diseases. Our research uses a combination of molecular biological, biochemical, cell biological, proteomic, and molecular genetic approaches, including targeted gene disruption. Robert Liu Robert.Liu@emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website Our Computational Neuroethology laboratory is interested in understanding how behaviorally-relevant sensory signals are encoded by cortical neurons, and what factors (e.g. experience, hormones) might lead to plastic changes in that code. We investigate this in the mouse, where ultrasonic communication between animals provides a natural behavioral context for these studies, and transgenic methods offer future possibilities for mechanistic dissection of coding mechanisms. We perform electrophysiology in non-anesthetized mice, and employ computational methods to analyze the information processing capabilities of neurons. Donna Maney dmaney@emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Emory Profile Click To View My Lab Website We are interested in the genetic and neuroendocrine bases of social behavior. We hope to understand (1) how genes, hormones and the environment interact to modulate brain plasticity, and (2) how inherited genetic changes, such as chromosomal rearrangements, affect neuroendocrine gene expression and function. Our research approach emphasizes evolutionary principles and combines the fields of molecular biology, genetics, neuroendocrinology, animal behavior, and physiological ecology. We collaborate extensively with faculty in the departments of Human Genetics, Psychiatry, and Biology. Techniques include quantitative real-time PCR, molecular cloning, in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and behavioral analysis. Joseph Manns jmanns@emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website My research focuses on how the hippocampus and associated brain regions participate in the processes that enable our day to day memories. The study of memory benefits greatly from the close homology of the hippocampus across the mammalian taxon, and my lab studies memory by pursuing electrophysiological recordings in rats as they perform memory tasks. In particular, we are interested in the fundamental neurobiological computations arising from the circuitry of the hippocampus and parahippocampal region--the ways in which the anatomy and physiology of the hippocampus enact changes on incoming information and the ways in which this altered information is stored in the brain. Helen S. Mayberg hmayber@emory.edu Training Faculty My research program has as a central theme, the characterization of neural systems mediating mood and emotional behaviors in health and disease, with a primary emphasis on major depression and its recovery. Functional neuroimaging (PET, fMRI) serve as the core methodologies, although all projects are multi-disciplinary (clinical trials, neurophysiology, personality structure, genetics, cognitive neuroscience, functional neurosurgery). The long-term goals of these integrated studies is the improved understanding of clinical algorithms that will discriminate patient subgroups, optimize treatment selection, predict relapse risk, and provide markers of disease vulnerability. Christopher E. Muly ecmuly@rmy.emory.edu Training Faculty My research interest is how various forms of experience alter the structural organization of nerve cell communication. We are pursuing this interest in the amygdala, where we are studying how stress alters the distribution and plasticity of glutamate receptors and key signaling proteins. We are also studying how dopamine depletion alters the signal transduction environment in direct versus indirect pathway striatal medium spiny neurons. Finally, we are studying the action of antipsychotic drugs in different brain regions using PET imaging techniques. These studies will inform our understanding of experience and drug mediate alterations in brain functioning and will be relevant to a wide variety of neuropsychiatric disorders, including PTSD, Parkinson's Disease and Schizophrenia. Gretchen Neigh gmccand@emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website Why are some individuals susceptible to the effects of chronic stress while others are resilient? Why are the very young and the very old most susceptible to the physical and mental repercussions of chronic stress? Why are females more adversely impacted by repeated stress than males? Are the effects of chronic stress exposure the manifestation of adaptations to the repeated energetic crises signaled by repetitive and prolonged stress responses? These are a few of the questions addressed by the research in the Neigh laboratory. Our work places particular emphasis on the interactions between the cerebral vasculature and the HPA axis and seeks to understand how changes in cerebral blood supply and metabolism may contribute to the pathogenesis of somatic and psychological sequela of chronic stress. Darryl B. Neill dneill@emory.edu Associate Faculty My research interests are in the brain systems which control mood and motivation. Besides being of fundamental interest in the general problem of functional organization of the mammalian brain, these systems are also of interest for their possible roles in mood disorders and drug addiction. In my laboratory, we manipulate these systems and examine the resulting behavioral changes. In collaboration with the Justice laboratory in Chemistry, we manipulate these systems and examine the resulting neurochemical changes. Thaddeus Pace Thaddeus.pace@emory.edu Training Faculty Dr. Pace's laboratory investigates alterations in resting and psychosocial stress-induced inflammatory immune function in participants with current major depression and/or a history of trauma in the formative years of life. Excessive inflammation is hypothesized to result from insufficient glucocorticoid inhibition of inflammatory signaling that occurs subsequent to abnormal corticosteroid receptor function and/or abnormal cortisol release. Routine measures include plasma levels of proinflammatory cytokines and glucocorticoids, activation of inflammatory signaling pathways in circulating immune cells, and in vitro assessments of glucocorticoid sensitivity (determined via proinflammatory endpoints). The lab also investigates the effectiveness of proinflammatory antagonists that target inflammatory signaling pathways (including the nuclear factor-kappa B pathway and mitogen activated protein kinase cascades) to reverse changes in behavior and mood associated with hyperinflammatory states. Stella Papa spapa@emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website We work in the area of pathophysiology and therapeutics of neurodegenerative disorders. Our research is focused in Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders. Current projects are based on electrophysiology and Pharmacology/cellular biology techniques using primate animal models. Physiology studies involve recording of neuronal activity in vivo, and pharmacology studies involve behavioral testing, autoradiography, in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, etc. Machelle Pardue mpardue@emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website Click To View My Department Website My research interests center around characterizing retinal defects using electrophysiological and anatomical methods and developing treatments for retinal degenerative diseases. The main projects in the laboratory investigate neuroprotective agents that could slow the progression of retinal degeneration, providing potentially years of improved visual function. Such treatments include electrical stimulation produced by retinal prosthetics and anti-apoptotic agents. In addition, we are investigating how defects in retinal pathways and the visual environment influence refractive development. Marie-Claude Perreault m-c.perreault@emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website The cortex communicates with the spinal cord mostly indirectly through neurons located in the brainstem. The main research interest of my laboratory is to understand how brain stem-spinal cord circuits control movement. A better understanding of the normal capabilities of these neural circuits will help assessing their potential for functional recovery after brain or spinal cord injury . Research questions are addressed using a multidisciplinary approach that includes trans-synaptic labeling of neural circuits, electrophysiology, calcium imaging and laser scanning photo-stimulation to functionally map synaptic connections. We use the mouse as an animal model, including transgenic lines for genetic labeling or modification of specific populations of spinal neurons. Steve M. Potter steve.potter@bme.gatech.edu Associate Faculty Click To View My Lab Website New Neuroscience Technologies for Studying Learning in Vitro. We are merging software, hardware, and wetware in a new paradigm for neurobiology research, "Embodied Cultured Networks." It brings together top-down (cognitive, behavioral, ethological) and bottom-up cellular, molecular) approaches to studying the brain. We are applying Multi-electrode array culture dishes, 2-photon time-lapse microscopy, and High-speed imaging of neural activity to study cultured networks of hundreds or thousands of mammalian neurons. We are especially interested distributed activity patterns and information processing in these cultured networks. We give them a body, either simulated or robotic, and an environment in which to behave. We developed a real-time feedback system for 2-way communication between a computer and a cultured neural network. In collaboration with Dr. Robert Gross in Neurosurgery, we are using our closed-loop stimulation and recording technology to develop methods for treating epilepsy with electrical stimulation. Information for potential students: Click here Todd M. Preuss tpreuss@rmy.emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Emory Profile One of our major goals is to identify the evolutionary specializations of the human brain, which we do by comparing humans to chimpanzees and to other nonhuman primates. We want to understand the extent to which evolutionary expansion of the human brain was accompanied by the addition of new areas or by the enlargement and internal reorganization of existing areas. To this end, we carry out comparative studies of cortical organization using immunocytochemistry and other techiniques that are useful for mapping cortical areas and investigating the laminar and cellular organization of cortex. Recently, we have begun to employ genomics techniques to identify genes that are differentially expressed in human brains, followed by in situ hybridization and immunocytochemical studies to demonstrate where the genes identified by genomics are expressed in the nervous system. Donald Rainnie drainni@emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website My lab investigates the cellular and neurophysiological mechanisms underlying emotional aspects of cognition, with an emphasis on the role of the extended amygdala in fear conditioning and extinction and its role in stress reactivity and anxiety-like behavior. Multiple techniques are employed to examine the functional and neurochemical connectivity of the amygdala and related structures in an attempt to create a functional map of the intrinsic circuitry, and to determine how sensory information gains affective weight within this structure. These methods range from molecular biology, through in vitro whole-cell patch clamp recording from visually identified neurons, to in vivo multiunit recording from freely moving rats. By understanding how sensory information is processed in the extended amygdala our ultimate objective is to shed light on the cellular processes that may contribute to the development of mood disorders such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and post traumatic stress disorder. Kerry J. Ressler kressle@emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website The goal of my laboratory is to create a program which utilizes the enormous power of molecular biology to approach difficult and important questions in systems neuroscience. I use genes known to be involved in synaptic plasticity to examine plasticity in the amygdala and regions which connect with it during the consolidation phase of fear memory formation. I am also initiating a program to create transgenic animal models for visualizing the amygdala neurons, some of its sensory inputs and the neuromodulatory projections which together mediate some of the important behavioral responses of fear and stress. These models will create novel and powerful tools to begin to address systems level neuroscience questions at genetic, molecular and cellular levels in combination with electrophysiological and neuroimaging approaches to neural circuitry. James Rilling jrillin@emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website The research in my laboratory uses MRI, fMRI and PET imaging to explore the neural basis of human social cognition and to compare the brains of living primates to glean insights into human brain evolution. David B. Rye drye@emory.edu Training Faculty Our laboratory seeks to discover the molecular, cell, and brain systems underlying various aspects of normal and pathological sleep/wake behaviors with an eye on improving recognition and treatment for common sleep disorders. Bench research is driven by 'bedside' clinical observations, therefore ensuring that our efforts translate to the human condition. A principal focus is on Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) and associated comorbidities (e.g., cardiovascular and psychoaffective disorders) given our discovery in 2007 of the major genetic basis for this common disorder. We are also deeply committed to deciphering the biological basis for maintaining proper alertness throughout the day. We employ anatomical, physiological, and pharmacological techniques in genetically engineered mice, rats, and non-human primates, and complementary investigations in humans. Molecular biological tools are being incorporated into our repertoire informed by ours and deCODE Genetics (Reykjavik, Iceland) collaborative efforts to mine the human genome for the genetic basis for sleep and its disorders. Subhabrata Sanyal ssanya2@emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website Our group is interested in understanding how our brains adapt and what happens when neurons in the brain die or perform abnormally. The remarkable adaptability of the brains in all animals relies crucially on the lifelong ability of individual neurons to change in response to specific stimuli. It is this Neuronal Plasticity (as it applies to Learning, Neurodegeneration or Sleep) that forms the research focus of our group. The favored model organism for our studies is Drosophila, or the fruit fly, which, though surprising to some, shows a remarkable range of ?complex behaviors? as it navigates through life. What makes this a truly advantageous model organism, however, is the vast array of genetic tools at the disposal of the experimental biologist and the ability to assay plasticity at multiple levels of complexity, all the way from genes to circuits to behavior. Krish Sathian krish.sathian@emory.edu Training Faculty Our research interests are Tactile perception, its neural basis and its alteration in neurological disorders. Neural plasticity in the tactile system. Cross-modal interactions between tactile and visual systems. Visual attention and its neural basis. Neurological rehabilitation with special reference to stroke and blindness. Yoland Smith yolands@rmy.emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website The main research interest of my laboratory is to understand the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease and characterize changes in the synaptic plasticity of the basal ganglia in normal and pathological conditions. To achieve these goals, we have developed a collaborative, interdisciplinary research program that uses in vitro and in vivo anatomical, electrophysiological and pharmacological approaches to study the functional organization of the basal ganglia in normal nonhuman primates and in animal models of Parkinson's disease. This work is complemented with behavioral studies of novel surgical and pharmacologic therapies for Parkinson's disease in nonhuman primates. Sam Sober samuel.j.sober@emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website Successfully producing complex behavior requires that neurons in the brain produce a pattern of muscular activation that in turn results in the desired behavioral output. My research on singing behavior in finches investigates the relationship between these very different levels of description - neural activity, muscular activation, and task performance - by using a range of techniques to describe how neural circuits drive vocal output and are modified by sensorimotor experience. This work combines physiological recordings from neurons and muscles, behavioral manipulations, and computational approaches to describe the interplay between sensory feedback, motor production, and neural plasticity. Alan Sokoloff sokoloff@physio.emory.edu Associate Faculty My research focuses on the interactions between central nervous system and muscle physiology to determine the fundamentals of motor control and its evolution in vertebrates. I believe that a comprehensive understanding of motor systems can best arise from comparative investigation of interactions between the multiple elements - cortex, brainstem, spinal cord, muscle - that control posture and movement. I am therefore pursuing this study through investigation of the basic neural principles that organize motor behavior and the phylogenetic constraints that limit and shape neuromuscular adaptation. Donald G. Stein dstei04@emory.edu Training Faculty We are a translational laboratory studying the role of neurosteroids, especially progesterone and its metabolites, in recovery of function after traumatic brain injury and stroke. We are highly interdisciplinary and work from the laboratory bench, using the latest cell culture, molecular biological and immunocytochemical techniques, to the patient's bedside, where we combine our efforts with medical colleagues in emergency medicine, neurology, radiology, pediatrics and neuro-ophthalmology to examine how different kinds of brain injuries can be repaired at the morphological and functional levels. Working closely with local and national clinical colleagues in emergency medicine, we are currently testing progesterone in traumatically brain-injured patients to reduce mortality and enhance functional recovery. Lena Ting lting@emory.edu Training Faculty Click To View My Lab Website How do we move so elegantly through unpredictable and dynamic environments? In my lab, we study balance control and locomotion in humans and animals to understand the organization of neural mechanisms underlying motor behaviors in general. Using a novel combination of engineering and neurophysiology techniques, and an interplay of experimental and computational studies, we are studying sensorimotor processes underlying muscle coordination in both heath and disease. Our work integrates ideas from neuroscience, biomechanics, robotics, rehabilitation, physiology, psychology, and cognitive science, addressing how neural circuits, musculoskeletal properties, adaptive process, and perception shape how we move. Jay M. Weiss jweis01@emory.edu Training Faculty My laboratory provides a wide range of training opportunities in the area of fundamental behavioral neuroscience. The laboratory utilizes behavioral, biochemical, electrophysiological, and immunological techniques to explore the relationship between brain, physiology, and behavior. A major area of interest is the construction of animal (rodent) models of abnormal behavior and the exploration of physiological processes underlying abnormal behavior by using these models. Another major focus of the laboratory is on the interaction between brain and the immune system focusing on how behavioral factors influence peripheral immune responses, and how immune products such as cytokines, influence brain and behavior. Thomas Wichmann twichma@emory.edu Training Faculty We are interested in understanding the function of the basal ganglia in the normal state and in movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease or dyskinesias. These experiments will help to develop new rational treatments for these diseases that can then be used in humans. For these studies we are using a combination of electrophysiologic, biochemical and anatomical methods. Mark E. Wilson mark.wilson@emory.edu Training Faculty Our lab uses female rhesus monkey models to understand how social variables affect a number of neuroendocrine systems and, thus, the regulation of behavior. Using the ethnologically valid stressor of social subordination characteristic of macaque societies, we studying how exposure to social stressors disrupts reproduction and estradiol signaling and whether this is meditated by specific metabolic signals by changing appetite and diet preference. Using the same social subordinate model, other studies are evaluating the effects of social stressors on adolescent development and the maturation of brain circuitry regulating emotionality using MRI-DTI and PET imaging. Steven L. Wolf swolf@emory.edu Training Faculty My primary interests involve instrumented learning of motor control in human subjects. As part of that learning we are now engaged in examining associations between cortical reorganization and functional improvements among individuals who have sustained a cerebrovascular accident as they are forced to use the impaired upper extremity while the better upper limb is immobilized. Cortical reorganization is assessed using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and functional MRI. We also assess kinetic changes in upper limb use during efforts to manipulation the environment. We have started a series of studies using TMS to create upper extremity muscle maps in able-bodied humans as a basis for ascertaining motor cortical plasticity following interventions designed to enhance motor control. Another focus of this laboratory involves examining postural control and gait in older adults who undergo novel treatment interventions, such as Tai Chi, which are designed to reduce or delay fall events. Last, we continue to study morphological and physiological aspects of multi-joint muscles to further comprehend their kinesiological significance. Stuart Zola szola@rmy.emory.edu Associate Faculty Our research program is focused on identifying the brain structures important for memory and delineating how these structures separately and in combination contribute to memory function. Our work in animals currently includes monkeys and rats, and the behavioral tests we use to assess memory in our experimental animals are based in large part on our experience with testing human amnesic patients. We use a variety of memory tasks, brain imaging, conditioning paradigms, and naturalistic behaviors, and more recently have been developing the use of reversible lesions to study both declarative memory (mediated by the temporal lobe) and nondeclartive memory (mediated by brain regions outside the temporal lobe). Additionally, we study emotional behavior and its link to memory function in humans and animals.

Faculty Research Interests:

Behavioral NS Computational NS Cellular, Molecular, & Developmental NS Neuropharmacology Neurological & Psychiatric Diseases Motor Control & Movement Science Systems NS

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	S. Potter Lab - Steve holding a multi-electrode array (photo by Gary Meek)


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Faculty with interests in Systems Neuroscience:

Jocelyne Bachevalier jbachev@emory.edu

Training Faculty

Gregory Berns gberns@emory.edu

Training Faculty

Cathrin Buetefisch cathrin.buetefisch@emory.edu

Training Faculty

Elizabeth Buffalo Elizabeth.Buffalo@emory.edu

Training Faculty

Andrew Butler ajbutle@emory.edu

Associate Faculty

Ronald Calabrese rcalabre@biology.emory.edu

Training Faculty

Mahlon R. DeLong medmrd@emory.edu

Associate Faculty

Andrew Escayg aescayg@genetics.emory.edu

Training Faculty

Mark M. Goodman mgoodma@emory.edu

Training Faculty

James G. Herndon jim@rmy.emory.edu

Associate Faculty

Ellen Hess ehess@pharm.emory.edu

Training Faculty

Shawn Hochman shawn.hochman@emory.edu

Training Faculty

Xiaoping Hu xhu@bme.emory.edu

Training Faculty

Donald R. Humphrey dhumphr@emory.edu

Associate Faculty

Dieter Jaeger djaeger@emory.edu

Training Faculty

Jorge L. Juncos jjuncos@emory.edu

Associate Faculty

Shella Keilholz shella.keilholz@bme.gatech.edu

Associate Faculty

Michael J. Kuhar michael.kuhar@emory.edu

Training Faculty

Lian Li lianli@pharm.emory.edu

Training Faculty

Robert Liu Robert.Liu@emory.edu

Training Faculty

Donna Maney dmaney@emory.edu

Training Faculty

Joseph Manns jmanns@emory.edu

Training Faculty

Helen S. Mayberg hmayber@emory.edu

Training Faculty

Christopher E. Muly ecmuly@rmy.emory.edu

Training Faculty

Gretchen Neigh gmccand@emory.edu

Training Faculty

Darryl B. Neill dneill@emory.edu

Associate Faculty

Thaddeus Pace Thaddeus.pace@emory.edu

Training Faculty

Stella Papa spapa@emory.edu

Training Faculty

Machelle Pardue mpardue@emory.edu

Training Faculty

Marie-Claude Perreault m-c.perreault@emory.edu

Training Faculty

Steve M. Potter steve.potter@bme.gatech.edu

Associate Faculty

Todd M. Preuss tpreuss@rmy.emory.edu

Training Faculty

Donald Rainnie drainni@emory.edu

Training Faculty

Kerry J. Ressler kressle@emory.edu

Training Faculty

James Rilling jrillin@emory.edu

Training Faculty

David B. Rye drye@emory.edu

Training Faculty

Subhabrata Sanyal ssanya2@emory.edu

Training Faculty

Krish Sathian krish.sathian@emory.edu

Training Faculty

Yoland Smith yolands@rmy.emory.edu

Training Faculty