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, MD, PhD
Professor and Chair, Dept. of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, TTUHSC
Josee Guindon, DVM, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, TTUHSC
Andrey Karamyshev, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Cell Biology and Biochemistry
J. Josh Lawrence, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, TTUHSC
Lance McMahon, MS, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation, TTUHSC
Leslie Shen, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Pathology, TTUHSC
Miles Day, M.D.
Professor, Dept. of Anesthesiology, Director, Pain Fellowship Program, Director, International
Pain Center, TTUHSC
John DeToledo, M.D.
Professor and Chair, Dept. of Neurology, TTUHSC
Sarah Wakefield, M.D.
Associate Professor and Chair, Dept. of Psychiatry,
Director, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry services, TTUHSC
CTNT Members
Luis Cuello, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, TTUHSC
Boris Decourt, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Pharmacology and Neuroscience
Petar Grozdanov, Ph.D.
Director, Molecular Biology and Image Analysis Core Laboratories, Assistant Professor,
Dept. of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, TTUHSC
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, TTUHSC
Nadia German, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, TTUHSC
Josee Guindon, D.V.M., Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept, of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, TTUHSC
George Henderson, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, TTUHSC
Michaela Jansen, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, Associate Dean for Medical
Education and Accreditation, TTUHSC
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, TTUHSC
Andrey Karamyshev, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, TTUHSC
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
Irene La-Beck, PharmD
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Immunotherapeutics & Biotechnology, TTUHSC-Abilene
J. Josh Lawrence, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, TTUHSC
Research Expertise/Interest: nutritional deficiencies, excitation/inhibition balance in disease states, hippocampal
neuromodulation, aging, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, autism.
Hongjun Liang, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, TTUHSC
Clinton MacDonald, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, TTUHSC
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,
TTUHSC
Lance McMahon, Ph.D.
Professor, SOP, Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation, TTUHSC
Volker Neugebauer, M.D., PhD
Professor and Chair, Dept. of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, TTUHSC, Executive Director,
Garrison Institute on Aging, TTUHSC
Research Expertise/Interest: Brain research, neuroplasticity in health and disease; chronic pain and opioids, neurodegenerative
diseases (Alzheimer’s 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, TTUHSC
Hemachandra Reddy, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Internal Medicine, TTUHSC
Jenny Wilkerson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, TTUHSC-Amarillo
Keywords: pain, drug dependence/addiction, preclinical neuropharmacology
Hongmin Wang, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, TTUHSC
Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, ischemic stroke, proteostasis, neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation,
neuroprotection, therapeutics.
Mirla Avila, M.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Neurology, TTUHSC
Jeremy Bailoo, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor, Dept. of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, TTUHSC
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, TTUHSC
Miles Day, M.D.
Professor, Dept. of Anesthesiology, Director, Pain Fellowship Program, Director International
Pain Center, TTUHSC
Research Expertise/Interest: The interventional treatment of complex facial pain.
John DeToledo, M.D.
Professor and Chair, Dept. of Neurology, TTUHSC
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, TTUHSC
Woosang Hwang, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Human Development and Family Sciences, TTU
Chanaka Kahathuduwa, MBBS, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Laboratory Science and Primary Care (PA Program), Clinical
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Psychiatry, TTUHSC
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
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,
TTUHSC
Jonathan Singer, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Psychological Sciences, TTU, Clinical Assistant Professor,
Dept. of Psychiatry, TTUHSC
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, TTUHSC
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, TTUHSC
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