Institute of Neuroscience, MCG, T32 Training Grants

In 2005, the Medical College of Georgia received a 5 year T32 Neuroscience Training grant award from the NIH/NINDS to support training of future neuroscientists in the area of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Neural Repair. INS members, Dr. Robert K. Yu (Professor and Director of the Institute of Neuroscience) and Dr. Darrell W. Brann (Associate Director of the Institute) serve as Principal Investigator/Director and Co-Director, respectively. The T32 Neuroscience Training grant supports 4 neuroscience trainees per year (3 postdoctoral trainees and 1 predoctoral trainee). The Training Program has 18 faculty mentors from various departments, centers and programs throughout the INS, reflecting the interdisciplinary training approach and focus of the program. The faculty mentors for the T32 Neuroscience Training Grant are listed below. For additional information concerning training possibilities on the Training Grant, please contact Dr. Darrell Brann (dbrann@mcg.edu).

FACULTY MENTORS FOR TRAINING GRANT

Dr. Robert K. Yu (Professor, Eminent Scholar and Director IMMAG/INS, Principal Investigator/Director of Training Grant) – studies the structure, metabolism and function of glycospingolipids in the nervous system and their role in neurodegenerative disorders.

Dr. Darrell W. Brann (Professor and Associate Director INS, Co-Director of Training Grant) – studies mechanisms of estrogen action in the brain, particularly related to stroke, learning and memory.

Dr. Sally Atherton (Professor and Chair, Dept of Cell Biology & Anatomy) - studies the pathogenesis of herpes simplex virus type 1 retinitis and cytomegalovirus retinitis.

Dr. Clare Bergson (Associate Professor, Dept. Pharmacology & Toxicology) – studies the basic mechanisms of dopamine D1 receptor signaling in the brain.

Dr. Erhard Bieberich (Associate Professor, Developmental Neurobiology program/IMMAG) – studies the role of ceramide in the regulation of apoptosis and on the regulation of ganglioside biosynthesis.

Dr. Jerry Buccafusco (Professor, Dept of Pharmacology & Toxicology, and Director of Alzheimer’s Research Center) – studies potential mechanisms of cellular toxicity and repair in Alzheimer’s Disease.

Dr. William Caldwell (Professor and Chair, Dept Pharmacology & Toxicology) – studies mechanisms of neuronal toxicity and repair in the retina, with a focus on superoxide and nitric oxide peroxynitrite as mediators of NMDA-induced retinal apoptosis.

Dr. Richard Cameron (Associate Professor, Developmental Neurobiology program/IMMAG) – studies the role of unconventional myosins in neuronal motility in the developing brain.

Dr. Vadivel Ganapathy (Regent’s Professor and Chair, Dept Biochemistry & Molecular Biology) – studies structure, function and regulation of membrane transporters for transmitters, amino acids, vitamins, other essential nutrients, and drugs.

Dr. David Hess (Professor and Chair, Dept of Neurology, Co-Director of Clinical Affairs, INS) – studies stem cell therapy and its utility to promote regeneration of the brain after stroke.

Dr. David Kozlowski (Assistant Professor, Developmental Neurobiology program/IMMAG) – studies development of the inner ear and the regeneration of sensory hair cells in zebrafish.

Dr. Nevin Lambert (Associate Professor, Dept Pharmacology & Toxicology) – studies signal transduction via G-protein coupled receptors in the CNS, and the mechanisms whereby these signal transduction systems are regulated.

Dr. Deborah Lewis (Professor, Dept Pharmacology & Toxicology) – studies the basic signaling mechanisms of the CB1 cannabinoid receptor.

Dr. Lin Mei (Professor, Eminent Scholar, and Director, Developmental Neurobiology program/IMMAG) – studies the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation and maintenance of synapses, with the goal of identifying targets to develop therapeutic strategies for treating neurological disorders including spinal cord injury, neuromuscular disorders, stroke, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Dr. Stephen Peiper (Professor and Chair, Dept Pathology) studies the molecular biology of chemokine receptors.

Dr. Lori Redmond (Assistant Professor, Dept Pharmacology & Toxicology) – studies the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating the development and differentiation of the cerebral cortex.

Dr. Sylvia Smith (Professor, Dept Cell Biology & Anatomy) – studies mechanisms of programmed cell death and transporter function in the diabetic retina.

Dr. Wen-Cheng Xiong (Associate Professor, Developmental Neurobiology program/IMMAG) – studies how signals are propagated from the cell surface to cytoskeleton to mediate neuronal cell migration.

Institute of Neuroscience
Medical College of Georgia
Please e-mail comments, suggestions or questions to:
Laura Hutcheson, ljhutche@mcg.edu
August 08, 2006