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| 1.
Research Statement |
4. Teaching (includes links to web sites for my courses) |
| 2. Educational Background |
5. Links to Related Sites |
| 3. My CV |
6. Laboratory Photo Gallery |
Neurobiology of Stress and
Stress-Induced Psychopathology
Neurobiology of Self-Injurious
Behaviors.
Research in my laboratory is currently focused
on two major projects. One project deals with analysis of the
physiological and behavioural consequences of acute and chronic stress
exposure. We are currently examining the neurobiology of stress
using highly emotional (as opposed to physiological) stressors, as we
believe that this approach models the type of stress exposure that
humans routinely experience. Human emotional stress exposure
appears to be very important in the onset and maintenance of a variety
of psychopathological conditions. Accordingly we are examining
individual differences in vulnerability to stress-induced
psychopathology, neuroadaptations that occur during
chronic stress exposure, and the specific neurotransmitter systems and
hormonal systems that participate in stress-induced
psychopathology. We coordinate all our studies with examinations
of behavioural concomitants of the stress exposure, and we focus
largely on evaluation of anxiety-related behaviours.
The other major focus of my laboratory is the
neurobiological basis of self-injurious behaviour. Self-injury is a
devastating behavioural disturbance that is expressed by individuals
with autism, Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, intellectual handicaps, and other
conditions. The disorder is poorly understood at present. We have
identified specific variables that confer increased or diminished
vulnerability to self-injury, and we are examining the neurobiological
concomitants of this vulnerability to self-injure.
In each of these research endeavours, we combine a variety of behavioural, cellular and molecular analyses to uncover the neurobiological basis of the observed responses.
Training opportunities: Students in my
laboratory have extensive opportunities to participate in the ongoing
research program. Accordingly, they routinely learn and practice
state-of-the-art methods in analysis of drug-induced and
environmentally-induced alterations in behaviour. This is combined with
evaluation of concomitant alterations in neurochemistry, hormonal
responses, and genetic regulation. Students also learn and practice
intracranial surgical and pharmacological methods. A major goal of
training in my lab is to foster critical thinking as it relates to
important issues in Behavioural Neuroscience.
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The courses I teach:
| Physiological Psychology | PSB 3004 |
| Behavioral Neuroscience | PSB 3340 |
| Behavioral Neuroendocrinology | PSB 4934 |
| Neurobiology of Learning and Memory | PSB 4810 |
| Graduate
Proseminar in Behavioral Neuroscience |
PSB
6099 |
| Molecular Neurobiology | PSB 6930 |
| Mechanisms of Neuroplasticity | PSB 7248 |
| Behavioral
Neurobiology of Stress and Stress-Related Psychopathology |
PSB 7249 |
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University of Florida links:
| University of Florida | UF Department of Psychology | UF Brain Institute | UF Center for Neurobiological Sciences |
Fun links:
| Gainesville Soccer 1 | Gainesville Soccer 2 | Gainesville Area Rowing |
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