CTNT Leadership and Members
Membership Information
CTNT Members are expected to have an active laboratory and funded research program. They propose joint scholarly projects and may request seed funds for publications and grant applications
Associate, Clinical, and Trainee members are encouraged to participate in CTNT scholarly and research activities, suggest research ideas for joint scholarly projects and/or provide the clinical perspective.
If interested in joint CTNT please contact CTNT Director, Dr. Volker Neugebauer
Leadership Information
Volker Neugebauer, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Dept. of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Breanna N. Harris, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Biological Sciences, TTU
Boris Decourt, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Josee Guindon, DVM, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Andrey Karamyshev, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Cell Biology and Biochemistry
J. Josh Lawrence, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Lance McMahon, MS, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Leslie Shen, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Pathology, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Miles Day, M.D.
Professor, Dept. of Anesthesiology, Director, Pain Fellowship Program, Director, International
Pain Center, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
John DeToledo, M.D.
Professor and Chair, Dept. of Neurology, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Sarah Wakefield, M.D.
Associate Professor and Chair, Dept. of Psychiatry,
Director, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry services, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
CTNT Members
Luis Cuello, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Boris Decourt, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Pharmacology and Neuroscience
Petar Grozdanov, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. Pharmacology and Neuroscience
Keywords: Regulation of gene expression by alternative polyadenylation, Molecular mechanisms
of alternative polyadenylation, Alcohol use disorder, Alzheimer's disease, Intellectual
disability syndromes, Epilepsy, Neurodegenerative diseases, Aging.
Vadivel Ganapathy, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Nadia German, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Josee Guindon, D.V.M., Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept, of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Breanna N. Harris, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Biological Sciences, TTU
Research Expertise/Interest: stress-responses at various biological levels in health, anxiety, feeding, and risk-taking
behaviors, reproduction, cognitive function, and aging, in animals and humans
George Henderson, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Michaela Jansen, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, Associate Dean for Medical
Education and Accreditation, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Research Expertise/Interest: Mechanisms, functions and drug targets of neurotransmitter receptors and their protein
networks. Mechanisms of clinically used drugs and novel drug target discovery and
characterization.
Keywords: Drug targets, protein-protein interactions, molecular pharmacology, molecular biology,
pharmacology
Guangchen Ji, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Andrey Karamyshev, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Research Expertise/Interest: Molecular mechanisms of human diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, regulation of
protein synthesis and protein transport.
Keywords: Molecular and cellular biology; human diseases; neurodegenerative disorders; translational
control; protein synthesis; ribosome; RNA stability and degradation; protein quality
control
Zemfira Karamysheva, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Research Expertise/Interest: mRNA translation and ribosome specialization and their dysregulation in human diseases,
including neurodegenerative and other neurological diseases, as well as translational
control in drug resistance
Irene La-Beck, PharmD
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Immunotherapeutics & Biotechnology, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯-Abilene
J. Josh Lawrence, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Research Expertise/Interest: nutritional deficiencies, excitation/inhibition balance in disease states, hippocampal
neuromodulation, aging, Alzheimerβs disease, epilepsy, autism.
Hongjun Liang, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Aric Logsdon, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Research Expertise/Interest: Blood-brain Barrier Physiology, Traumatic Brain Injury and Stroke, Neuroinflammation
and Neurodegeneration, Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias, Neuropharmacology
and Brain-drug Delivery, Glycobiology and Glycomics
Clinton MacDonald, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Research Expertise/Interest: Mechanisms tissue-specific mRNA polyadenylation including brain and testis. Molecular
biology of X-linked intellectual disability. Mechanisms of mRNA processing in spermatogenesis.
Keywords: Gene expression, molecular biology, mRNA processing, polyadenylation, neurodevelopment,
spermatogenesis
Maria Manczak, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor, Garrison Institute on Aging and Department of Neurology,
Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Lance McMahon, Ph.D.
Professor, SOP, Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Volker Neugebauer, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Dept. of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯, Executive Director,
Garrison Institute on Aging, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Research Expertise/Interest: Brain research, neuroplasticity in health and disease; chronic pain and opioids, neurodegenerative
diseases (Alzheimerβs disease), anxio-depressive comorbidities; preclinical models
and approaches, human tissue analyses, studies and interventions in humans.
Igor Ponomarev, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Andrew Shin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Nutritional Sciences, TTU
Keywords: neuroendocrinology, inter-organ crosstalk, gut hormones, satiety hormones, obesity,
diabetes, neurodegeneration, gut microbiota, HPA axis, brain manipulation, opto/chemogenetics,
autonomic denervation, pancreatic clamps, other integrative physiological and behavioral
in vivo tests
Jenny Wilkerson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯-Amarillo
Keywords: pain, drug dependence/addiction, preclinical neuropharmacology
Hongmin Wang, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Keywords: Alzheimerβs disease, ischemic stroke, proteostasis, neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation,
neuroprotection, therapeutics.
Mirla Avila, M.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Neurology, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Jeremy Bailoo, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Keywords: Animal Welfare, Animal Cognition, Behavioral Neuroscience, Environmental Toxicology,
Research Ethics and Policy
Michael Blanton, Ph.D.
Professor and Vice Chair, Dept. of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Sr. Associate Dean,
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Director, MD/PhD Program, Graduate Advisor,
Translational Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Ryan Brown, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Human Development and Family Sciences, TTU
Keywords: psychoneuroimmunology, stress measurement, biopsychosocial mechanisms underlying health
disparities across the lifespan, grief/loss, and hormetic stress interventions
Hui CHen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, TTU
Research Expertise/Interest: "Biochemical Sensingβ, the long-term goal of his βAccessible Diagnostic Research Labβ
is to develop accessible, user-friendly, fast, and cost-effective diagnostic tools,
motived by addressing healthcare disparities.
Keywords: Point of care testing, smart molecular switch, microfluidics, biomimicking sensors,
molecular imaging, chemical education
Miles Day, M.D.
Professor, Dept. of Anesthesiology, Director, Pain Fellowship Program, Director International
Pain Center, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Research Expertise/Interest: The interventional treatment of complex facial pain.
John DeToledo, M.D.
Professor and Chair, Dept. of Neurology, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Jeremy Donai, AuD, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Audiology Program Director Dept. of Speech-Language-Hearing
Sciences, School of Health Professions
Matthew Grisham, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Chanaka Kahathuduwa, MBBS, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Laboratory Science and Primary Care (PA Program), Clinical
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Psychiatry, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Affiliate Faculty, Dept. of Human Development and Family Studies, TTU
Hui Ying Luk, Ph.D., CSCS*D
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Kinesiology and Sport Management, TTU
Emily Pereira, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, TTU
Research Expertise/Interest: control theory, complex networks, cyber-neural systems, neuroscience, designing and
analyzing novel control strategies, algorithms, and statistical learning tools to
better understand complex dynamical networks, such as the brain including epilepsy
Adam Schmidt, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Psychological Sciences, TTU
Leslie Shen, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Pathology, Director, Center of Excellence for Integrative Health,
Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Jonathan Singer, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Psychological Sciences, TTU, Clinical Assistant Professor,
Dept. of Psychiatry, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Travis Thompson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Mathematics and Statistics, TTU
Research Expertise/Interest: Dr. Thompson uses mathematics, computing and machine learning to understand the brain,
metabolic and age-related neuropathologies, like Alzheimer's disease.
Keywords: Mathematical modeling, Scientific computing, Machine learning, Metabolic disorders,
Neurodegenerative diseases
Sarah Wakefield, M.D.
Associate Professor and Chair, Dept. of Psychiatry,
Director, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Services, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Research Expertise/Interest: Mental health, mental health of justice involved youth, perinatal mental health, youth
depression and suicide.
Henrik Wilms, M.D., Ph.D.
Abraham Tarbox Chair for Neurodegenerative Diseases, CH-Foundation Chair in Parkinson's
Disease Research, Associate Professor, Dept. of Neurology, Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯
Peyton Presto, M.D./Ph.D. Student
Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience
Brent Kisby, Ph.D. Student
Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience
Keywords: brain microvasculature, neuroimmune, ethanol drinking
Damla Yagmur, M.D., Clinical Fellow
Department of Geriatric Medicine