Center of Excellence for Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics Leadership and Members

Luis Cuello, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, TTUHSC
Research expertise/interest: How do conformational changes of ion channel structures define their biological function?
Keywords: Thermodynamic, ion channel kinetics, protein structure, crystallography, electrophysiology, fluorescence spectroscopy, continuous wave electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry and microscale thermophoresis.

Boris Decourt, Ph.D. 
Assistant Professor, Pharmacology and Neuroscience
Research Interests: Neurobiologist specializing in biomarker development and in translational drug development approaches using inflammation modulators to study the molecular pathophysiological changes taking place at early stages of neurological disorders, with the ultimate goal of slowing down or curing the diseases via early intervention before severe neurodegeneration and dementia occur.

Petar Grozdanov, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. Pharmacology and Neuroscience
Keywords: Regulation of gene expression by alternative polyadenylation, Molecular mechanisms of alternative polyadenylation, Alcohol use disorder, Alzheimer's disease, Intellectual disability syndromes, Epilepsy, Neurodegenerative diseases, Aging. 

Nadia German, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, TTUHSC

Josee Guindon, D.V.M., Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept, of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, TTUHSC
Research Interests: Behavioral pharmacology, immunohistochemistry, molecular biology (RT-PCR, Western blot), animal pain models (inflammatory, neuropathic, surgical), modulation of pain pathways (exercise, etc.), kidney physiological pathways

Breanna N. Harris, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Biological Sciences, TTU
Research Expertise/Interest: stress-responses at various biological levels in health, anxiety, feeding, and risk-taking behaviors, reproduction, cognitive function, and aging, in animals and humans

George Henderson, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, TTUHSC
Research Interests: Alcohol, environmental toxins, neurons, gila, apoptosis, oxidative stress

Michaela Jansen, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, Associate Dean for Medical Education and Accreditation, TTUHSC
Research Expertise/Interest: Mechanisms, functions and drug targets of neurotransmitter receptors and their protein networks. Mechanisms of clinically used drugs and novel drug target discovery and characterization.
Keywords: Drug targets, protein-protein interactions, molecular pharmacology, molecular biology, pharmacology

Guangchen Ji, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, TTUHSC
Research Interests: Electrophysiological single-cell recordings in different brain areas and various behavioral assays to correlate neuronal activity with pain-related behavior

Andrey Karamyshev, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, TTUHSC
Research Expertise/Interest: Molecular mechanisms of human diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, regulation of protein synthesis and protein transport.
Keywords: Molecular and cellular biology; human diseases; neurodegenerative disorders; translational control; protein synthesis; ribosome; RNA stability and degradation; protein quality control

Zemfira Karamysheva, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, TTUHSC
Research Expertise/Interest: mRNA translation and ribosome specialization and their dysregulation in human diseases, including neurodegenerative and other neurological diseases, as well as translational control in drug resistance

Irene La-Beck, PharmD
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Immunotherapeutics & Biotechnology, TTUHSC-Abilene

J. Josh Lawrence, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, TTUHSC
Research Expertise/Interest: nutritional deficiencies, excitation/inhibition balance in disease states, hippocampal neuromodulation, aging, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, autism.

Hongjun Liang, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, TTUHSC

Aric Logsdon, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, TTUHSC
Research Expertise/Interest: Blood-brain Barrier Physiology, Traumatic Brain Injury and Stroke, Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration, Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias, Neuropharmacology and Brain-drug Delivery, Glycobiology and Glycomics

Clinton MacDonald, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, TTUHSC
Research Expertise/Interest: Mechanisms tissue-specific mRNA polyadenylation including brain and testis. Molecular biology of X-linked intellectual disability. Mechanisms of mRNA processing in spermatogenesis.
Keywords: Gene expression, molecular biology, mRNA processing, polyadenylation, neurodevelopment, spermatogenesis

Lance McMahon, Ph.D. 
Professor, SOP, Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation, TTUHSC

Volker Neugebauer, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Dept. of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, TTUHSC, Executive Director, Garrison Institute on Aging, TTUHSC 
Research Expertise/Interest: Brain research, neuroplasticity in health and disease; chronic pain and opioids, neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s disease), anxio-depressive comorbidities; preclinical models and approaches, human tissue analyses, studies and interventions in humans.

Igor Ponomarev, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, TTUHSC
Research Interests: Molecular mechanisms of cellular plasticity in models of Alcohol Use Disorder. Neurogenomics. Drug repurposing.

Andrew Shin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Nutritional Sciences, TTU
Research: Understanding how the brain controls metabolism and nutrient partitioning as well as the long-term regulation of body weight and appetite and the underlying mechanisms of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery. Understanding the role of insulin action in the brain in regulating branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) metabolism and how this central control can contribute to glucose homeostasis by using molecular, pharmacological, transgenic, surgical, and integrative physiological approaches
Keywords: neuroendocrinology, inter-organ crosstalk, gut hormones, satiety hormones, obesity, diabetes, neurodegeneration, gut microbiota, HPA axis, brain manipulation, opto/chemogenetics, autonomic denervation, pancreatic clamps, other integrative physiological and behavioral in vivo tests, metabolism, obesity, diabetes, bariatric surgery, brain function, and neurodegenerative diseases

Jenny Wilkerson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, TTUHSC-Amarillo
Research: Pain, Drug addiction/dependence, natural product drug development
Keywords: peripheral neuropathic pain, cancer pain, drug dependence/abuse, drug discovery

Hongmin Wang, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, TTUHSC
Research Interests: My research focuses on neuroprotection and repair of the damaged brain involved in Alzheimer’s disease and ischemic stroke. We are particularly interested in the role of proteostasis and some specific transcription factors in the pathogenesis of these diseases. Using both genetically modified mice and cell models, including the cultured stem cells, as well as multiple approaches, we aim at (1) investigating the pathogenic mechanisms of the diseases, (2) identifying the targets that can be “druggable” for the disorders, and (3) screening and validating the therapeutic agents that can be used for treating these diseases.
Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, ischemic stroke, proteostasis, neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation, neuroprotection, therapeutics.\

Mirla Avila, M.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Neurology, TTUHSC

Jeremy Bailoo, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, TTUHSC
Keywords: Animal Welfare, Animal Cognition, Behavioral Neuroscience, Environmental Toxicology, Research Ethics and Policy

Michael Blanton, Ph.D. 
Professor and Vice Chair, Dept. of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Sr. Associate Dean, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Director, MD/PhD Program, Graduate Advisor, Translational Neuroscience and Pharmacology, TTUHSC

Ryan Brown, Ph.D. 
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Human Development and Family Sciences, TTU
Keywords: psychoneuroimmunology, stress measurement, biopsychosocial mechanisms underlying health disparities across the lifespan, grief/loss, and hormetic stress interventions

Hui Chen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, TTU
Research Expertise/Interest: "Biochemical Sensing”, the long-term goal of his “Accessible Diagnostic Research Lab” is to develop accessible, user-friendly, fast, and cost-effective diagnostic tools, motived by addressing healthcare disparities.
Keywords: Point of care testing, smart molecular switch, microfluidics, biomimicking sensors, molecular imaging, chemical education

Miles Day, M.D.
Professor, Dept. of Anesthesiology, Director, Pain Fellowship Program, Director International Pain Center, TTUHSC
Research Expertise/Interest: The interventional treatment of complex facial pain.

John DeToledo, M.D.
Professor and Dean, School of Medicine, TTUHSC 

Jeremy Donai, AuD, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Audiology Program Director Dept. of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, School of Health Professions

Chanaka Kahathuduwa, MBBS, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Laboratory Science and Primary Care (PA Program), Clinical Assistant Professor, Dept. of Psychiatry, TTUHSC
Affiliate Faculty, Dept. of Human Development and Family Studies, TTU

Hui Ying Luk, Ph.D., CSCS*D
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Kinesiology and Sport Management, TTU

Emily Pereira, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, TTU
Research Expertise/Interest: control theory, complex networks, cyber-neural systems, neuroscience, designing and analyzing novel control strategies, algorithms, and statistical learning tools to better understand complex dynamical networks, such as the brain including epilepsy

Adam Schmidt, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Psychological Sciences, TTU

Leslie Shen, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Pathology, Director, Center of Excellence for Integrative Health, TTUHSC

Jonathan Singer, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Psychological Sciences, TTU, Clinical Assistant Professor, Dept. of Psychiatry, TTUHSC

Travis Thompson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Mathematics and Statistics, TTU
Research Expertise/Interest: Dr. Thompson uses mathematics, computing and machine learning to understand the brain, metabolic and age-related neuropathologies, like Alzheimer's disease.
Keywords: Mathematical modeling, Scientific computing, Machine learning, Metabolic disorders, Neurodegenerative diseases

Miguel Torrero-García, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences, TTU
Research Expertise/Interest: Developmental neurobiology ranging from research on the generation of neural cell identity to brain-wide circuit connectivity of molecularly defined neuronal populations.

Sarah Wakefield, M.D.
Professor and Chair, Dept. of Psychiatry,
Director, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Services, TTUHSC
Research Expertise/Interest: Mental health, mental health of justice involved youth, perinatal mental health, youth depression and suicide.

Henrik Wilms, M.D., Ph.D.
Abraham Tarbox Chair for Neurodegenerative Diseases, CH-Foundation Chair in Parkinson's Disease Research, Associate Professor, Dept. of Neurology, TTUHSC

Kai Wu, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. Electrical & Computer Engineering, TTU
Research Expertise/Interest: Magnetic nanomaterials and devices for biomedical applications, engineering solutions for neuroscience such as magnetic sensors for wearable and implantable neural signal recording. magnetogenetics, where magnetic nanoparticles are engineered to trigger localized stimulation of neurons, remotely controlled by magnetic fields.

Peyton Presto, M.D./Ph.D. Student
Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience

Brent Kisby, Ph.D. Student
Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience
Keywords: brain microvasculature, neuroimmune, ethanol drinking

Damla Yagmur, M.D., Clinical Fellow
Department of Geriatric Medicine