Lee Eiden, PhD., Chief

       The Section on Molecular Neuroscience studies the molecular mechanisms of chemically coded ionotropic and metabotropic neurotransmission in the nervous system. The ultimate goals of the project are identifying molecular components of synaptic transmission, and how these components are regulated to allow short-term and long-term information to be encoded within postsynaptic neurons and neuroendocrine cells. We are exploring the general hypothesis that neuropeptide-encoded slow transmission may occupy a special evolutionary niche for nervous system adaptation to paraphysiological stressors, and that by studying neuropeptide function in stress physiology, we might uncover roles (and treatments) relevant to human disease.

      Cis-acting elements within these genes responsible for cell-specific constitutive expression, and responsiveness to signal transduction pathways triggering developmentally specific and activity-dependent transcription, are identified in cell lines and in vivo in transgenic animals using pharmacological, biochemical and molecular biological techniques.

Bioinformatics Core

The Bioinformatics Core is dedicated to providing computational support to the NIMH IRP research community in the areas of microarray data management and analysis, signal transduction pathway modeling, and data mining.

SMN Personnel

Publications

Pathfinder

Bioinformatics

Research Activities

LCMR Homepage

DIRP Homepage

NIMH Homepage