Behavioral Neuroscience
My research is interested in how diet, exercise, and other environmental manipulations affect cell signaling in the brain and the behavioral expression of learning & memory in rodents. The formation of new long-term memories requires new protein transcription and contains a number of cell signaling cascades of interest. The newly formed proteins then allow for either structural change of neurons or additional cell signaling cascades to activate. The core region of the brain associated with declarative memory in animals (including humans) is the hippocampus. Expanding our understanding of how behavioral change can alter brain health and memory in rodent models is then used to inform research with humans and applied research in areas like aging and wellness.
This summer, our researchers will be studying the molecular changes in the hippocampus associated with manipulations of diet. Students will be trained to slice brains using a freezing microtome and will then use immunocytochemistry to stain for protein kinases (i.e. CAMKII, PKC), early immediate gene proteins (i.e. c-Fos), and/or transcription factors (i.e. BDNF, pCREB) in the hippocampus of these rat brains. Once our tissue is stained, we will be using light microscopy to image the tissue and computerized software to measure differences in protein expression. Students will develop their skills in basic science throughout the summer by developing hypotheses, reading empirical research, following protocols, analyzing data, and presentation of findings. Please see me directly for further information about our summer research.