The Crablab
Neuroscience at Illinois State University
Neuroscience is the scientific study of nervous systems and physiology is the study of function in living systems. Both disciplines complement each other and strive for understanding how organisms, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the functions that exist in a living system. The workings of our brain and body define us -- what we sense, what we know, who we are. When problems occur, the results can devastate patients, their families and society. According to the National Institutes of Health, neurological diseases and heart disease are two of the largest world health concerns and more than 50 million people in this country endure some problem with the nervous system.
Our mission is to advance understanding of the nervous system and the physiological processes of the body through fundamental research and to train the next generation of neuroscientists and physiologists. Our research interests are wide-ranging and include exploring how neural circuits function and process sensory information, studying behavior that arises through neuronal activity, defining disease processes that compromise neural performance, characterizing subcellular processes that underlie the physiology of all cells, and explaining the behavior of organisms from a molecular, cellular, and systems prospective. We address these issues in both vertebrate and invertebrate model systems using techniques drawn from every major biological discipline, including gene expression, immunocytochemistry, neuropharmacology, electrophysiological recordings, voltammetry, behavioral observations and computer modeling.
The Neuroscience and Physiology group provides an exciting and challenging academic environment by combining excellence in research with a strong commitment to undergraduate and graduate education. We deliver a full curriculum to undergraduate and graduate students interested in the disciplines of neuroscience and physiology. At the undergraduate level, we provide the Physiology, Neuroscience and Behavior (PNB) sequence.
Our mission is to advance understanding of the nervous system and the physiological processes of the body through fundamental research and to train the next generation of neuroscientists and physiologists. Our research interests are wide-ranging and include exploring how neural circuits function and process sensory information, studying behavior that arises through neuronal activity, defining disease processes that compromise neural performance, characterizing subcellular processes that underlie the physiology of all cells, and explaining the behavior of organisms from a molecular, cellular, and systems prospective. We address these issues in both vertebrate and invertebrate model systems using techniques drawn from every major biological discipline, including gene expression, immunocytochemistry, neuropharmacology, electrophysiological recordings, voltammetry, behavioral observations and computer modeling.
The Neuroscience and Physiology group provides an exciting and challenging academic environment by combining excellence in research with a strong commitment to undergraduate and graduate education. We deliver a full curriculum to undergraduate and graduate students interested in the disciplines of neuroscience and physiology. At the undergraduate level, we provide the Physiology, Neuroscience and Behavior (PNB) sequence.
At the graduate level, we provide the Neuroscience and Physiology sequences at the MS and PhD levels. Both MS and PhD programs in Neuroscience and Physiology are tightly integrated into laboratory research. In addition, we mentor post-doctoral fellows and provide undergraduates in the School of Biological Sciences as well as other pre-professional students with research training and experience in our Physiology, Neuroscience and Behavior undergraduate sequence.
This is a very exciting time for Neuroscience and Physiology at Illinois State. With the advent of new imaging, molecular, and genetic techniques, scientific doors that were previously closed have been flung wide open. Faculty and students in our group meet regularly for Journal Clubs and seminars, and they present their research at scientific meetings. The core group has published more than 70 peer-reviewed papers in the last 5 years.
The core groups currently consist of these laboratories:
- Graduate students interested in these sequences should click here to download our flyer (pdf).
- If you are interested in our NP graduate sequences you should also watch this video on Youtube
- Interested students should also watch this Youtube video about the Biology graduate program
This is a very exciting time for Neuroscience and Physiology at Illinois State. With the advent of new imaging, molecular, and genetic techniques, scientific doors that were previously closed have been flung wide open. Faculty and students in our group meet regularly for Journal Clubs and seminars, and they present their research at scientific meetings. The core group has published more than 70 peer-reviewed papers in the last 5 years.
The core groups currently consist of these laboratories:
- Joe Casto: Physiology of host-parasite interactions, Development of sex differences in brain and behavior, and Neural mechanisms of motivated social behaviors. Visit Joe Casto's website or see Joe Casto's publications.
- Martin Engelke: Molecular dynamics of cell processes; microtubules and molecular motor protein function; transport in primary cilia; regulation of cellular organization and homeostasis. Visit Martin Engelke's website
- Paul Garris: Effects of abused drugs and denervation of dopamine neurons (e.g., Parkinson's disease) on dopamine signaling. Development of instrumentation supporting chemical microsensors. Visit Paul Garris' website or see Paul Garris' publications.
- Craig Gatto: We employ modern Molecular Biology and Protein Biochemistry along with electrophysiology to study the structure-function, mechanism, biosynthesis, assembly and cellular trafficking of P-type ATPases or Ion pumps (e.g. Na,K-ATPase, Ca-ATPases). Visit Craig Gatto's website or see Craig Gatto's publications.
- Byron Heidenreich: Behavioral Neuroscience, Neuropsychopharmacology of monoamine Neurotransmitters, Neuropharmacology of drugs of abuse and psychotherapeutic medications. View Byron Heidenreich's publications.
- Ryan Paitz: Comparative physiology with focus on how vertebrate embryos regulate their exposure to maternal steroids and environmental chemicals. Visit Dr. Paitz's website or see Dr. Paitz's publications.
- Epaminondas Rosa: Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos, computer modeling of neurons. Visit Dr. Rosa's website of see Epaminondas Rosa's publications.
- Wolfgang Stein: Mechanisms of sensorimotor Processing, Motor Pattern Generation and Neuromodulation of Neuronal Networks. We combine optical imaging with in vitro and in vivo electrophysiology. Visit Wolfgang Stein's website or see Wolfgang Stein's publications.
- Andres Vidal-Gadea: Neurogenetic bases of locomotion and natural behavior using the nematode C. elegans. Visit Dr. Vidal-Gadea's website or see Dr. Vidal-Gadea's publications.
- Laura Vogel: Cellular immunology and regulation of immune responses. Visit Laura Vogel's website or see Laura Vogel's publications.
