Education:
B.S. Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, 1988
Ph.D. Molecular Biology, Vanderbilt University, 1993
Post-Doc, Neuroscience, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 1997

Research Area:
Neurobiology of Alcohol Abuse and Anxiety

Academic Activities:
Dept. Seminar Program
Dept. Space Committee
Dept. Graduate Student Evaluation Committee
Editorial Board, Alcohol
Education Committee, Research Society on Alcoholism
Study Section Sevice for NIAAA, NIMH, NIH Pre- and Post-doctoral Training Grants

Activities in Medical & Graduate Education:
Director, Neuroscience Block, PSPR701
Lectures in: PSPR701; PSPR703; PSPR704; NUSC712
Medical lecture: “Neurobiology of Alcohol”

Brief Summary of Research:
Our lab is currently focused on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing the interaction between anxiety and drugs of abuse. We are especially interested in the chronic effects of ethanol on excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitter systems in brain areas regulating such behaviors. We employ several different model systems including both rodent and non-human primates. Experimentally, we utilize whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology with in vitro brain slice and isolated cell preparations to investigate alterations in receptor pharmacology and function. We also utilize molecular biological approaches like single-cell RT-PCR and real-time RT-PCR to understand the contribution of gene expression.