The Department of Neuroscience plays a key role in the development and teaching of basic sciences in the Medical School Gateway curriculum, including human anatomy, histology, and neuroscience. In conjunction with the Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences (DBBS) program in neuroscience, the department also offers introductory graduate courses in cellular, molecular, and systems neuroscience. In addition, the department also offers a number of advanced courses that are primarily designed for graduate students but that are also open to students in the medical curriculum. Finally, advanced elective research activities are offered by faculty in the department.
Contact Info
| Website: | http://neuroscience.wustl.edu |
Linda J. Richards, AO, FAA, FAHMS, PhD
Department Chair
Visit our website for more information about our faculty and their appointments.
A
Joonas Autio, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Assistant Professor of Radiology
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Eastern Finland, 2013
B
Amy Lynn Bauernfeind, M.Phil., Ph.D.
Professor of Anatomy (primary appointment)
Vice Chair Education Department of Neuroscience
Professor of Anthropology (Courtesy Affiliation)
Bachelor of Science, Vanderbilt University, 2004
Master of Philosophy, George Washington University, 2011
Doctor of Philosophy, George Washington University, 2014
Peter O Bayguinov, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Assistant Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology
Bachelor of Science, University of Washington, 2003
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Nevada Reno, 2010
Azad Bonni
Voluntary Research Professor of Neuroscience
Paul C Bridgman, M.S., Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Neuroscience
Bachelor of Arts, University of San Diego, 1974
Master of Science, University of California San Diego, 1976
Doctor of Philosophy, Purdue University-Main Campus, 1980
Andreas H Burkhalter, M.S., Ph.D.
Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Master of Science, University of Zurich, 1973
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Zurich, 1977
Harold Burton, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Neuroscience
Bachelor of Arts, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, 1964
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Wisconsin Madison, 1968
C
Valeria Cavalli, M.S., Ph.D.
Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Robert E. and Louise F. Dunn Professorship in Biomedical Research
Bachelor of Science, University of Geneva, 1991
Master of Science, University of Geneva, 1992
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Geneva, 2000
Fujun Chen, Ph.D.
Instructor in Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Doctor of Philosophy, East China Normal University (华东师范大学), 2007
Yao Chen, M.S., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Assistant Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology
Assistant Professor of Electrical & System Engineering
Bachelor of Science, University of Cambridge, 2002
Master of Science, University of Cambridge, 2006
Doctor of Philosophy, Harvard University, 2009
James M Cheverud, M.S., Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Anatomy
Bachelor of Arts, Northwestern University, 1975
Master of Science, University of Wisconsin Madison, 1977
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Wisconsin Madison, 1979
Glenn C Conroy, M.Phil., Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Anatomy
Bachelor of Arts, University of California Berkeley, 1970
Master of Philosophy, Yale University, 1972
Doctor of Philosophy, Yale University, 1974
D
Krikor T Dikranian, Ph.D., M.D.
Professor of Anatomy (primary appointment)
Professor of Physical Therapy
Doctor of Medicine, Medical University of Varna, 1978
Doctor of Philosophy, Medical University of Sofia, 1992
F
Susan M Fitzpatrick, Ph.D.
Voluntary Research Associate Professor of Neuroscience
Voluntary Research Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy
Bachelor of Science, Saint Johns University, 1978
Doctor of Philosophy, Cornell University, 1984
Tom P Franken, M.S., Ph.D., M.D.
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Doctor of Medicine, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 2009
Doctor of Philosophy, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 2015
Master of Science, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 2016
G
Harrison W. Gabel, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Baccalaureatus, Princeton University, 2001
Doctor of Philosophy, Harvard University, 2008
Matthew Gaidica, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Bachelor of Science, Kettering University, 2010
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, 2019
H
Edward B. Han, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology
Bachelor of Science, Cornell University, 1995
Doctor of Philosophy, University of California San Diego, 2004
Martha B. Han, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Bachelor of Science, Yale University, 2000
Doctor of Philosophy, University of California San Diego, 2008
Naoki Hiratani, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Bachelor of Science, The University of Tokyo, 2011
Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Tokyo, 2016
Timothy E. Holy, M.A., Ph.D.
Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Alan A and Edith L Wolff Professor of Neuroscience
Vice Chair Research of Neuroscience
Bachelor of Arts, Rice University, 1991
Master of Arts, Princeton University, 1992
Doctor of Philosophy, Princeton University, 1997
Cheng Huang, M.S., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Bachelor of Science, Beijing Institute of Technology (北京理工大学), 2005
Master of Science, Beijing Institute of Technology (北京理工大学), 2007
Doctor of Philosophy, Tsinghua University (清华大学), 2013
J
Joanna Louisa Jankowsky, Ph.D.
Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Theodore and Bertha Bryan Professor of Environmental Medicine
Bachelor of Arts, Amherst College, 1991
Doctor of Philosophy, California Institute of Technology, 1999
K
Adam Kepecs, Ph.D.
Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Professor of Psychiatry
Rita Levi-Montalcini Professor of Biomedical Sciences
Bachelor of Science, Eotvos Lorand University (University of Budapest), 1997
Doctor of Philosophy, Brandeis University, 2002
L
Qingyun Li, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Assistant Professor of Genetics
Bachelor of Science, China Agricultural University, 2006
Doctor of Philosophy, Duke University, 2015
Alessandro Livi, Ph.D.
Instructor in Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Parma, 2019
M
Ashley C. Morhardt, M.S., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anatomy (primary appointment)
Bachelor of Science, Illinois College, 2006
Master of Science, Western Illinois University, 2009
Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio University-Main Campus, 2016
N
Michael L Nonet, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Bachelor of Science, University of California Davis, 1984
Doctor of Philosophy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1989
O
Karen Laurel O'Malley, M.S., Ph.D.
Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Bachelor of Arts, Sonoma State University, 1971
Master of Science, Portland State University, 1973
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Texas Austin, 1980
Hysell Oviedo, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Roger M Perlmutter Career Development Assistant Professorship
Doctor of Philosophy, New York University, 2004
P
Camillo Padoa-Schioppa, M.S., Ph.D.
Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Professor of Economics (Courtesy)
Robert E. and Louise F. Dunn Professorship in Medical Sciences
Master of Science, La Sapienza University, 1996
Doctor of Philosophy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2002
Thomas J Papouin, M.S., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Bachelor of Science, École Normale Supérieure Paris, 2005
Master of Science, École Normale Supérieure Paris, 2007
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Bordeaux 2, 2011
Anthony Pappas, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Anatomy (Pending Dean Approval) (primary appointment)
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Vermont, 2016
Jane Phillips Conroy, M.A., Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Anatomy
Bachelor of Arts, Brandeis University, 1969
Master of Arts, New York University, 1973
Doctor of Philosophy, New York University, 1978
Joseph L Price, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Bachelor of Arts, Oxford University (Duplicate of University of Oxford), 1966
Doctor of Philosophy, Oxford University (Duplicate of University of Oxford), 1969
Kristen Alexandra Prufrock, M.S., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Anatomy (primary appointment)
Bachelor of Science, University of Toronto, 2012
Master of Science, University of Toronto, 2014
Doctor of Philosophy, Johns Hopkins University, 2020
R
Linda J Richards, Ph.D.
Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Edison Professor of Neuroscience
Director of McDonnell Center for Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology
Head of the Department of Neuroscience
Bachelor of Science, Walter & Eliza Hall Institute, 1990
Doctor of Philosophy, Walter & Eliza Hall Institute, 1994
S
Lawrence B Salkoff, Ph.D.
Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Professor of Genetics
Bachelor of Arts, University of California Los Angeles, 1967
Doctor of Philosophy, University of California Berkeley, 1979
Paul Joseph Shaw, M.A., Ph.D.
Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Bachelor of Arts, Niagara University, 1985
Master of Arts, San Jose State University, 1990
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Chicago, 1996
Lawrence H Snyder, M.S., Ph.D., M.D.
Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences
Baccalaureatus, Princeton University, 1982
Master of Science, University of Rochester, 1992
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Rochester, 1992
Doctor of Medicine, University of Rochester, 1992
T
Paul H Taghert, Ph.D.
Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Bachelor of Arts, Reed College, 1975
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Washington, 1981
Gaia Tavoni, M.S., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Assistant Professor of Electrical & Systems Engineering
Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Engineering
Assistant Professor of Physics
Bachelor of Science, Politecnico di Torino, 2010
Master of Science, Politecnico di Torino, 2012
Doctor of Philosophy, École Normale Supérieure Paris, 2015
Alex Michael Taylor, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Anatomy (primary appointment)
Doctor of Philosophy, Saint Louis University, 2021
V
David C Van Essen, Ph.D.
Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Alumni Endowed Professor of Neurobiology
Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Bachelor of Science, California Institute of Technology, 1967
Doctor of Philosophy, Harvard University, 1971
Y
Jason Yi, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience (primary appointment)
Bachelor of Science, Dickinson College, 2001
Doctor of Philosophy, Duke University, 2009
Neuroscience Research Electives
During the fourth year, opportunities exist for many varieties of advanced clinical or research experiences.
Kari Allen, PhD
North Building, 3rd Floor
Phone: 314-747-6572
Paleoanthropology and phylogenetic statistics; comparative analyses of primate craniodental morphology and the evolution of brain size
Martha Bagnall, PhD
McDonnell Medical Sciences Building, 4th Floor
Phone: 314-362-9695
Molecular, electrophysiological, and behavioral analyses of neural circuits for vestibular control of spinal function
Paul Bridgman, PhD
McDonnell Medical Sciences Building, 8th Floor
Phone: 314-362-3449
Cell biology of the developing nervous system
Andreas Burkhalter, PhD
North Building, 4th Floor
Phone: 314-362-4068
Organization and function of neuronal circuits in mouse visual cortex
Harold Burton, PhD
East McDonnell Building, 3rd Floor
Phone: 314-362-3556
Cortical functional reorganization in response to sensory loss
Valeria Cavalli, PhD
McDonnell Medical Sciences Building, 9th Floor
Phone: 314-362-3540
Cellular, molecular and epigenetic mechanisms controlling axon regeneration
Yao Chen, PhD
McDonnell Medical Sciences Building, 9th Floor
Phone: 314-273-7739
We aim to understand how the dynamics of neuromodulators and intracellular signals contribute to the function of neuromodulators, to learning, and to the function of sleep.
Krikor Dikranian, MD, PhD
North Building, 3rd Floor
Phone: 314-362-3548
Cell death during the development of the mammalian central nervous system; traumatic brain injury in the infant
James Fitzpatrick, PhD
McKinley Research Building, Basement
Phone: 314-747-0838
Optical and charged particle multiscale microscopy application method development
Tom Franken, MD, PhD
East McDonnell Building, 3rd Floor
Phone: 314-362-3590
Neuronal mechanisms of perception
Harrison Gabel, PhD
McDonnell Medical Sciences Building, 8th Floor
Phone: 314-362-9814
Gene regulation in the developing nervous system; molecular mechanisms of neurodevelopmental disorders
Geoffrey Goodhill, PhD
McDonnell Medical Sciences Building, 9th Floor
Computational neuroscience; large-scale neural recording; development of behavior and neural coding in zebrafish; autism models
Edward Han, PhD
McDonnell Medical Sciences Building, 9th Floor
Phone: 314-747-2505
Learning-related hippocampal network activation
Timothy E. Holy, PhD
North Building, 4th Floor
Phone: 314-362-0086
Neural mechanisms of action of mammalian pheromones
Adam Kepecs, PhD
McDonnell Medical Sciences Building, 4th Floor
Phone: 314-273-8523
Our long-term goal is to reverse engineer the computational and neurobiological processes underlying cognition and decision-making and apply these insights to biological psychiatry.
Tristan (Qingyun) Li, PhD
McDonnell Medical Sciences Building, 8th Floor
Phone: 314-273-1422
My lab is broadly interested in neuroimmunology, with a focus on microglial biology. We combine cutting-edge, single-cell genomic technologies with in vitro and in vivo genetic, molecular, and cellular tools to investigate microglial functions in the establishment of the nervous system, and we study how changes in these functions contribute to neurological diseases.
Ilya Monosov, MS, PhD
East McDonnell Building, 2nd Floor
Phone: 314-362-3740
Neuronal mechanisms of voluntary behavior
Ashley Morhardt, PhD
North Building, 3rd Floor
Phone: 314-273-1859
Evolution of neural diversity within and across non-mammalian vertebrate clades, especially dinosaurs
Michael L. Nonet, PhD
McDonnell Medical Sciences Building, 9th Floor
Phone: 314-747-1176
Molecular genetic analysis of synaptic development and function
Karen L. O’Malley, PhD
McDonnell Medical Sciences Building, 9th Floor
Phone: 314-362-7087
Molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative processes; signaling mechanisms associated with intracellular receptors
Camillo Padoa Schioppa, PhD
East McDonnell Building, 3rd Floor
Phone: 314-747-2253
Neuronal bases of economic choice and decision making
Thomas Papouin, PhD
McDonnell Medical Sciences Building, 9th Floor
Phone: 314-273-7738
Role played by the 80% to 90% of non-neuronal cells (glial cells) in brain function
Linda J. Richards AO, FAA, FAHMS, PhD
McDonnell Medical Sciences Building, 9th Floor
Phone: 314-362-3033
The Brain Development and Disorders Laboratory investigates how long-range neural circuits are established in the brain and how neural circuit plasticity affects the function of the cerebral cortex.
Lawrence B. Salkoff, PhD
McDonnell Medical Sciences Building, 9th Floor
Phone: 314-362-3644
Roles of ion channels in neuronal long-term excitability changes
Paul J. Shaw, PhD
McDonnell Medical Sciences Building, 9th Floor
Phone: 314-362-2703
Molecular genetics of sleep and circadian rhythms
Lawrence H. Snyder, MD, PhD
East McDonnell Building, 3rd Floor
Phone: 314-747-3530
Computational and cognitive issues in cortical control of eye and arm movement investigated via electrophysiology and imaging
Paul H. Taghert, PhD
McDonnell Medical Sciences Building, 9th Floor
Phone: 314-362-3641
Neurobiology of circadian rhythms; neurobiology of peptidergic neurotransmission
Gaia Tavoni, PhD
East McDonnell Building, 3rd Floor
Phone: 314-362-3590
Applying concepts and methods from statistical mechanics, Bayesian theory, mathematics and biophysics to the study of the brain
David C. Van Essen, PhD
East McDonnell Building, 2nd Floor
Phone: 314-362-7043
Organization, function, and development of primate cerebral cortex, especially in humans; generation and utilization of neuroinformatics tools for data mining
Jason Yi, PhD
McDonnell Medical Sciences Building, 8th Floor
Phone: 314-273-1664
Molecular pathways shaping nervous system development and function
Guoyan Zhao, PhD
McDonnell Medical Sciences Building, 8th Floor
Phone: 314-273-9045
My laboratory is interested in understanding the regulatory networks that control the development and proper function of mammalian brains in the context of human health and disease.
NEUROSCI 8005 Advanced Dissection (Non-Clinical Elective)
Students will perform detailed dissections on a discrete region of the body of their choosing - i.e. head/neck, thorax, abdomen, pelvic cavity, or limbs. Students will compile a list of personal learning objectives with the approval of the course director(s). A minimum of 30 hours of self-paced individual dissection is required and may include the practice of surgical approaches, and/or the study of cross-sectional anatomy and medical imaging. At the end of the course, each student will demonstrate their dissection results to the faculty and submit a final project. The final project allows students to synthesize their laboratory experience with primary literature on the clinically-relevant anatomy in their region of interest.
Credit 4 units.
Typical periods offered: Medicine Year