Welcome to the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at Stony Brook University.

The Department of Neurobiology currently has 18 faculty with substantial research strengths in neural development, circuit function, computation, cellular communication through receptors, channels and synapses and neurological and psychiatric diseases. Total research grant funding for the primary faculty of $6.8 million dollars was received in FY 2008. Under the direction of Dr. Lorna Role, who arrived as Chair in April 2008, the department looks forward to continued growth, expansion and innovation. » more

Welcome to…

New Faculty Maya Shelly

New Faculty Giancarlo La Camera

Sr. Postdoctoral Associate Lucinda Davies (La Camera Lab)

Postdoctoral Associate Yury Garkun (Maffei Lab)

Postdoctoral Associate Ahmad Jezzini (Fontanini lab)

New Neuroscience grad students » more

Congratulations to...

Shaoyu Ge's group for their recent finding of primary cilia's role in neuronal development » more

Simon Halegoua, Research, 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

Gary Matthews, for his major review in Nature Neuroscience » more

Mary Kritzer, on being chosen Top Reviewer in 2009 for exceptional contribution to the quality of Hormones and Behavior scientific journal

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

The Department
Chairperson, Dr. Lorna Role (PhD, Harvard). Dr. Role holds numerous grants and awards and comes to us from Columbia University.  Her research focuses on central cholinergic systems that have been implicated in disorders of memory, mood and motivation, and her work has implications for studies of schizophrenia, depression and Alzheimer's dementia. Dr. Role was recently awarded the NIH director's Pioneer Award (more). Find out about the research interests and backgrounds of all Neurobiology & Behavior faculty here.

Lab Spotlight...
The Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology (PI: Maya Shelly) aims to identify and characterize the key molecular and cellular signaling mechanisms that underlie embryonic development of the mammalian cerebral cortex.

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.