Areas of Focus

Uniting faculty across disciplines,this research area explores how the nervous system develops its remarkable structural and functional complexity, diversity, and plasticity. By combining experimental and technical expertise, this area of research is broad, ranging from genetic and molecular analysis of the early stages of central and peripheral nervous system development to sophisticated functional assays of neuronal plasticity in response to environmental manipulations.  

Neurological and neurodegenerative disorders arise from dysfunction or degeneration of the nervous system. Within the Neuroscience Institute, this research area brings together faculty studying a range of conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain and eye injury, stroke, epilepsy, Huntington’s disease, dystonia, and Alzheimer’s disease. Current work spans cellular and network physiology, mechanisms of neuronal dysfunction and death, molecular processes such as synaptogenesis, and the development of animal models to better understand disease progression and treatment. 

Sensory systems provide the nervous system with a critical interface to the external environment. This research area brings together investigators studying olfaction, taste, pain, and vision to understand how sensory information is represented in neuronal activity. Through collaboration and shared expertise, this group advances our collective understanding of how the brain interprets and responds to the world around us. 

The study of synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability explores how electrical and chemical signals enable communication within the nervous system. By examining membrane dynamics, action potential patterns, synaptic transmission, and synaptic plasticity, this area connects researchers across departments, fostering collaboration and shared approaches to understanding how neural communication shapes behavior, cognition, and physiology. 

Our ability to see shapes how we experience the world. Within the Neuroscience Institute, this research area brings together scientists and clinicians to better understand how the eye works and how vision is affected by disease. By studying eye development and the genetic factors that influence eye health, researchers collaborate to improve the detection, prevention, and treatment of vision disorders that impact everyday life.