Welcome to the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at Stony Brook University. The Department of Neurobiology currently has 20 faculty with substantial research strengths in neural development, circuit function, computation, cellular communication through receptors, channels and synapses and neurological and psychiatric diseases. Under the direction of Dr. Lorna Role, who arrived as Chair in April 2008, the department has experienced a major growth spurt with new innovations » more Welcome to… New Neuroscience grad students » more Announcing: The Thomas Hartman Center for Parkinson's Research in the Department of Neurobiology & Behavior
A substantial gift from the Thomas Hartman Foundation for Parkinson Research, that will be matched by the Simons Foundation, will fund an endowment in perpetuity to Name the Thomas Harman Center for Parkinson Research. "The Thomas Hartman Center in Parkinson Research will be housed in the University's nationally ranked Department of Neurobiology and Behavior. It will be a research intensive center in a Tier 1 Research institution and have the University's collaborative support and resources. The Thomas Hartman Center for Parkinson's Research will be dedicated solely to Parkinson's Research" Congratulations to... Camilo Ferrer, first year graduate student in our Program, for the cover illustration and a 1st-author paper in the December 12 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience , from his work with Enrico Nasi. Shaoyu Ge 's group for their recent study published in Nature Neuroscience that reveals 'silencing' newborn neurons leads to impaired memory. Also see commentaries from Nat Neurosci" Dr.Giancarlo La Camera for being named as a National Academies Education Fellow in the Life Sciences for the 2012-2013 academic year. Dr. Lorne Mendell for his upcoming lecture (Tuesday October 16 at 2:30pm) at the Society for Neuroscience on "The Emergence of Contemporary Pain Neuroscience Dr.Lorna Role for being elected a Fellow of the prestigious American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for her distinguished contributions in neuroscience.
Alfredo Fontanini
's group for their recent finding of the effect of general expectation on gustatory taste processing »
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Shaoyu Ge
's group for their recent finding of primary cilia's role in neuronal development »
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Qinghong Yan, a graduate student in David McKinnon's lab, for her recent publication showing the importance of CpG island promoter evolution in controlling ion channel gene expression » more Simon Halegoua's research on a new painkiller with no apparent side effects or addictive qualities near to market » more Alfredo Fontanini, upon receiving the prestigious Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) » more Mary Kritzer, on being chosen Top Reviewer in 2009 for exceptional contribution to the quality of Hormones and Behavior scientific journal. Gary Matthews, for his major review in Nature Neuroscience ยป more Alfredo Fontanini, who was awarded the Ajinomoto Award for Young Investigators in Gustation. » more Lorne Mendell. An international symposium was held honoring the scientific contributions Professor Lorne Mendell, Chair of the Department from 1988 to 2006 » more Alfredo Fontanini, upon receiving a Klingenstein Fellowship Award
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The mammalian cerebral cortex underlies major cognitive functions such as learning, memory, perception, abstract thinking, and more. Developmental aberrations affecting this part of the brain play a key role in severe disorders such as mental retardation and autism spectrum disorders. The cerebral cortex is composed of billions of neurons divided into specific subpopulations. Early in embryonic development, the neuron establishes separate compartments of axon and dendrite and migrates to populate different regions of the developing cortex where it forms specific synaptic connections. Our goal is to identify and characterize the key molecular and cellular signaling mechanisms underlying embryonic cortical development, using multidisciplinary approaches that combine embryonic genetic manipulation, mouse genetics, biochemistry, material engineering, time-lapse microscopy, electrophysiology methodologies and behavioral studies. By studying the mechanisms of these basic events in embryonic brain development, in a complementary line of research we aim to gain insight into severe human neurodegenerative disorders. |
SEMINARS
To be resumed in the Fall Semester 2014 Mind/Brain Lecture 2013 Mind/Brain Lecture 2012 Mind/Brain Lecture See Nature paper and news report from PBS 2011 Mind/Brain Lecture 2009 Mind/Brain Lecture
Neurosciences "Meeting of the Minds" Symposium
Friday, November 9th, 2012 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Charles B. Wang Center
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