Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience Program

Students interested in neurosciences have the option of applying to either the Cell and Molecular Biology or the Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences Graduate Programs. The MCIN program offers an expanded curriculum in the neurosciences, but is not a degree granting program. Thus, many students, who enter the MCIN program, transfer after the first year and complete their Ph.D. in Cell & Molecular Biology.

Neuroscience Research

This group of faculty study the regulation of actin dynamics, brain development and differentiation, control of ion channels and neurotransmitter release, neurotoxicology and neurodegenerative diseases.

Faculty in Neuroscience

James R. Bamburg
Professor (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology); Ph.D. Wisconsin 1969. Regulation of the cytoskeleton in neuronal growth and pathfinding; signal transduction pathways regulating actin dynamics; abnormalities in actin behavior in neurodegenative diseases.

Scott Earley
Assistant Professor (Biomedical Sciences); Ph.D. University of New Mexico School of Medicine 2002; Cardiovascular Physiology

Gregory L. Florant
Professor (Biology); Ph.D. Stanford 1978. Mammalian physiology; lipid metabolism and energetics.

William H. Hanneman
Associate Professor (Environmental & Radiological Health Sciences); Ph.D., Texas A&M, 1995. Developmental neurotoxicology,identification and characterization of developmental genes involved in response to hazardous environmental chemicals.

Douglas N. Ishii
Professor (Biomedical Sciences and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology); Ph.D. Stanford 1974. Neurobiology of insulin-like growth factors; diabetic neuropathy; blood-brain barrier and brain disorders.

Marie M. Legare
Assistant Professor (Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences); Ph.D., Texas A&M, 1995. Genetic and molecular approaches to studying neurotoxicology.

Donald L. Mykles
Professor (Biology); Ph.D. California (Berkeley) 1979. Regulation of protein turnover; calcium-dependent and ATP/ubiquitin-dependent proteinases; myofibrillar proteins.

Noreen E. Reist
Associate Professor (Biomedical Sciences); Ph.D. Stanford University 1990; Molecular dissection of neurotransmitter release.

Michael M. Tamkun
Professor (Biomedical Sciences & Biochemistry  Molecular Biology); Ph.D. Washington 1983. Ion channel molecular biology.

Ronald B. Tjalkens
Associate Professor (Environmental  Radiological Health Sciences); Ph.D. University of Colorado  Health Sciences Center 1998.  Molecular neurotoxicology, regulation of nitric oxide synthase in mammalian astroglia, role of astroglial cells in parkinsonian syndromes.

Stuart A. Tobet
Professor (Biomedical Sciences); Ph.D. M.I.T. 1985.  Development and differentiation of the neuroendocrine brain.

Mark Zabel
Assistant Professor (Microbiology, Immunoloby & Pathology); Ph.D. University of Utah 2001. Prion immunology.