BRI Members

Director, Brain Research Institute: Christopher J. Evans, Ph.D. 
Associate Director for Research: J. David Jentsch, Ph.D. 
Associate Director for Education: Michael S. Levine, Ph.D.
Associate Director for Neuroscience Outreach: Joseph B. Watson, Ph.D.

The BRI membership consists of over 250 faculty members from 26 academic departments. These include members from traditional medical school departments, as well as members interested in the brain from the Schools of Engineering, Dentistry, Nursing, and the College of Letters and Science.

All members of the Institute must be members of academic departments and devote their main research effort to programs advancing the knowledge of the function and structure of the brain and its relation to behavior. The following list of BRI members attests to the broad depth and interdisciplinary nature of the Institute, its members, and their research endeavors.

· Emeritus Members
· Corresponding Members

Name	Title	Research Interest
Jeffry R. Alger, Ph.D.	Professor of Neurology, and Radiological Sciences	Magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy of neurological disorders such as brain tumor and stroke
Lori Altshuler, M.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences; Director, UCLA Mood Disorders Research Program	Mood disorders
Liana G. Apostolova, M.D.	Assistant Professor of Neurology	Neuroimaging research in Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment, and other neurodegenerative disorders
Arthur P. Arnold, Ph.D.	Distinguished Professor and Chair of Physiological Science; Director, Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute	Sexual differentiation of the brain, sex chromosome effects on neural development
Bernard W. Balleine, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychology	Learning and motivation, specifically the neural bases of instrumental conditioning
Utpal Banerjee, Ph.D.	Professor and Chair of Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology; Professor of Biological Chemistry	Developmental biology
Mark Barad, M.D., Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Learning and memory; extinction of conditioned fear; mouse models of human anxiety disorders
Jorge R. Barrio, Ph.D.	Distinguished Professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology; Elizabeth and Thomas Plott Chair in Gerontologoy	In-vivo probes for gene expression, dopaminergic mechanisms and Alzheimer's disease
George Bartzokis, M.D.	Professor of Neurology	Brain imaging, development and degeneration
Ulrich Batzdorf, M.D.	Professor of Surgery (Neurosurgery); Director of Spine Surgery	Syringomyelia, Chiari malformation
Carrie E. Bearden, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Neurodevelopmental disorders; cognition, neuroimaging and genetics of mood disorders and psychosis
Jackson T. Beatty, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychology	Neuroinformatics, with the special interest in the neurogenomics of brain development
Donald P. Becker, M.D.	W. Eugene Stern Professor of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery; Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA	Neurometabolic pathobiology of traumatic brain injury
Marvin Bergsneider, M.D.	Associate Professor of Surgery (Neurosurgery)	Study of cerebral metabolism following traumatic brain injury using PET, intracranial pressure modeling
Steven M. Berman, Ph.D.	Researcher, Departments of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, and Medicine (Digestive Diseases)	Alcohol and drug abuse vulnerability studies; brain imaging
Suraj P. Bhat, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Ophthalmology	Regulation of gene expression in the developing vertebrate visual system
Robert M. Bilder, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, and Psychology; Chief of Medical Psychology-Neuropsychology	Neuropsychology and neuroimaging; schizophrenia
James W. Bisley, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Neurobiology, and Psychology	Neural mechanisms underlying visual perception, visual attention and visual memory
Gal Bitan, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Neurology	Structural biology and rational drug design for neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease
Douglas L. Black, Ph.D.	Professor of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics; Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute	Regulation of mRNA metabolism in mammalian cells, with an emphasis on the control of pre-mRNA splicing in neurons
H. Tad Blair, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Psychology (Behavioral Neuroscience)	Neurophysiological and behavioral studies of learning, memory, and motivation
Aaron Blaisdell, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Psychology	Learning and behavior, animal cognition, and comparative psychology
Gene D. Block, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, and Physiological Science; Chancellor, UCLA	Circadian rhythms and aging
Ruben J. Boado, Ph.D.	Professor of Medicine	Molecular biology of the blood-brain barrier, and drug delivery of peptides and antisense therapeutics to the brain
Dean Bok, Ph.D.	Distinguished Professor of Neurobiology, and Dolly Green Professor of Ophthalmology	Retinal cell biology
Susan Y. Bookheimer, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Functional magnetic resonance imaging, language, memory
Yvette M. Bordelon, M.D., Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Neurology	Movement disorders therapeutics
James R. Boulter, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Molecular neurobiology
Anatol Bragin, Ph.D.	Professional Research Neurologist	Basic mechanisms of epilepsy
Joel T. Braslow, M.D., Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, and History; Director, Neuroscience History Archives	History of 20th century American psychiatry
Nicholas C. Brecha, Ph.D.	Professor and Vice Chair of Neurobiology; Professor of Medicine	Retinal circuitry and transmitter function and expression in mediating vision
K.C. Brennan, M.D.	Assistant Professor of Neurology	Cortical spreading depression; basic mechanisms of migrane
Arthur L. Brody, M.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Addiction; tobacco; brain imaging
Jeff M. Bronstein, M.D., Ph.D.	Professor of Neurology; Director, UCLA Movement Disorders Program	Molecular cell biology of Parkinson’s disease and tetraspan proteins in ligodendrocytes
Warren S. Brown, Ph.D.	Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	The contribution of interhemispheric interactions via the corpus callosum to human higher cognitive capacities
Dean V. Buonomano, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Neurobiology, and Psychology	Neural basis of learning, and temporal processing
Larry L. Butcher, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychology	Apoptosis and cholinergic neuron death
Anthony T. Campagnoni, Ph.D.	Vincent and Stella Coates Professor of Neuroscience, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior	The function of MBP gene products in the immune and nervous systems
Tyrone D. Cannon, Ph.D.	Staglin Family Professor of Psychology, and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Genetics and neurobiology of schizophrenia
Rochelle Caplan, M.D.	Professor of Psychiatry	Thought disorder, social communication, psychopathology and neuroimaging in pediatric neurobehavioral disorders
Joseph Caprioli, M.D.	Frances and Ray Stark Professor of Ophthalmology; Chief, Glaucoma Division, Jules Stein Eye Institute	Detection of early glaucoma damage, neuroprotection as treatment for glaucoma, visual function in glaucoma, surgical outcomes
S. Thomas Carmichael, M.D., Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Neurology	The cellular and molecular mechanisms of neural repair, such as axonal sprouting and neurogenesis, after stroke and brain injury
Ellen M. Carpenter, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Genetic mechanisms of central nervous system patterning
Maria G. Castro, Ph.D.	Professor of Medicine, and Molecular and Medical Pharmacology; Co-Director, Gene Therapeutics Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center	Gene therapy
Scott H. Chandler, Ph.D.	Professor of Neuroscience, Department of Physiological Science; Chair, Interdepartmental Undergraduate Program for Neuroscience	Brainstem mechanisms controlling jaw movements
Andrew C. Charles, M.D.	Professor of Neurology; Director, Residency Training Program	Investigation of cellular neurophysiology and neuropharmacology with imaging and electrophysiological techniques
Marie-Françoise Chesselet, M.D., Ph.D.	Charles H. Markham Professor of Neurology; Chair, Department of Neurobiology	Molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases and neural repair in the basal ganglia
Francesco Chiappelli, Ph.D.	Professor of Dentistry (Oral Biology & Medicine)	Evidence-based research in medicine and dentistry; psychoneuroendocrine-immune interactionos (allostasis and T-cell-mediated immune surveillance)
Jacobo W. Chodakiewitz, M.D.	Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery	Neurostimulation of brain and spinal cord and/or ablation for pain control; involuntary movements
Steven G. Clarke, Ph.D.	Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Director, Molecular Biology Institute	Biochemistry of aging
Timothy F. Cloughesy, M.D.	Professor of Neurology; Director, Neuro-Oncology Program; Co-Director, Henry Singleton Brain Cancer Research Program	Human brain tumors
Mark S. Cohen, Ph.D.	Professor of Neurology, Radiological Sciences, Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Biomedical Physics, and Psychology	Development of methods and applications of brain mapping, including functional MRI and EEG applied to the study of human cognition and disease
John Colicelli, Ph.D.	Professor of Biological Chemistry	RAS signaling in neurobiology and cancer
Christopher S. Colwell, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Circadian rhythms, neural control of behavior
Margaret A. Compton, R.N., Ph.D.	Associate Professor, Acute Care Nursing, School of Nursing	Opioids, pain, addiction
Ian A. Cook, M.D.	Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences; Director, Depression Research Program; Associate Director, Laboratory of Brain, Behavior and Pharmacology	Neural systems approach in mood and cognitive disorders, and translational work on biomarkers of treatment response in depression
Edwin L. Cooper, Ph.D., Sc.D.	Distinguished Professor of Neurobiology	Evolution of neuroimmune systems
Eain M. Cornford, Ph.D.	Professor of Neurology; Chief, Neuropharmacology Laboratory, VAMC, West Los Angeles	Blood-brain barrier function
Jeffrey L. Cummings, M.D.	Augustus S. Rose Professor of Neurology; Executive Vice Chair, Department of Neurology; Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences; Director, UCLA Alzheimer's Disease Center; Director, Deane F. Johnson Center for Neurotherapeutics	Neuropsychiatry of Alzheimer's disease and dementias; clinical trials in neurodegenerative diseases
Mirella Dapretto, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Neuroimaging of language and developmental disorders
Antonio A.F. De Salles, M.D., Ph.D.	Professor of Surgery (Neurosurgery), and Radiation Oncology	Functional Neurosurgery: Clinical aspects of Parkinson's disease after pallidotomy and basic research in Parkinsonism MPTP model including cell transplantation and growth factor injections in basal ganglia; Radiosurgery: Clinical research on application of radiosurgery for brain tumors, epilepsy, and chronic pain, and basic research on effects of ionizing radiation to cerebral vasculature and neuronal firing
Jean S. de Vellis, Ph.D.	Professor of Neurobiology, and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences; Director, Mental Retardation Research Center	Genetic and epigenetic molecular mechanisms of glial and neuronal developmental and pathophysiology from embryonic to adult central nervous system in animal models
Antonio V. Delgado-Escueta, M.D.	Professor of Neurology; Director, Epilepsy Center of Excellence, GLAVA Healthcare System	Epilepsy genetics and neurobiology of human epilepsy genes
Joseph L. Demer, M.D., Ph.D.	Leonard Apt Professor of Ophthalmology; Professor of Neurology	Ocular motor physiology
Joseph J. DiStefano, III, Ph.D.	Distinguished Professor of Computer Science, Medicine, and Biomedical Engineering	Computational systems biology; biocybernetics
Bruce H. Dobkin, M.D.	Professor of Neurology; Medical Director, Neurologic Rehabilitation and Research Unit	Functional imaging and physiological and behavioral assessments of neurorehabilitation interventions for motor control
Hong-Wei Dong, M.D., Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Neurology	Neuroanatomy and neuroendocrinology
Lars Dreier, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Neurobiology	Molecular mechanisms of synapse formation and function in C. elegans
V. Reggie Edgerton, Ph.D.	Professor of Physiological Science, and Neurobiology	Investigations focus on how the spinal cord controls posture and locomotion and the potential and mechanisms of the plasticity of the spinal cord and muscles following spinal cord injury
Jerome Engel, Jr., M.D., Ph.D.	Jonathan Sinay Professor of Neurology; Professor of Neurobiology, and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences; Chief, UCLA Seizure Disorder Center	Epilepsy
Christopher J. Evans, Ph.D.	Director, Brain Research Institute; Stefan Hatos Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Neurobiology of drugs of abuse and neuroimmune interactions
Gordon L. Fain, Ph.D.	Distinguished Professor of Physiology, Ophthalmology, and Neuroscience	Cellular physiology of vertebrate retina
Guoping Fan, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Human Genetics	Molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying neural development
Michael S. Fanselow, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychology	Neurobiology of learning, memory and emotion
Debora B. Farber, Ph.D., D.Ph.h.c.	Karl Kirchgessner Professor of Ophthalmology; Associate Director, Jules Stein Eye Institute; Co-Chief, Vision Science Division	Animal models of retinal degeneration; biochemistry, molecular biology, and genetcis of retinal degenerations; gene regulation and therapy, retinitis pigmentosa and allied human diseases, and ocular albinism
Kym F. Faull, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences; Director, Pasarow Mass Spectrometry Laboratory	Mass spectrometry and the characterization of biologically important molecules
Jack L. Feldman, Ph.D.	Distinguished Professor of Neurobiology	Systems neurobiology
Jamie D. Feusner, M.D.	Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Visual and emotional information processing in body dysmorphic disorder and anxiety disorders
Robin S. Fisher, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, and Neurobiology	Neuroanatomy and development
L. Jaime Fitten, M.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Attentional dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease and its implications for motor vehicle operation
Nelson B. Freimer, M.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	The genetic basis of neurobehavioral traits, development of research tools to facilitate the genetic investigation of complex traits
Itzhak Fried, M.D., Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, and Surgery (Neurosurgery); Director, Epilepsy Surgery; Co-Director, Seizure Disorder Center	Neuronal basis of cognitive processing in the human brain
Mark A. Frye, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Physiological Sciences	Multisensory fusion, sensory-motor integration
Denson G. Fujikawa, M.D.	Adjunct Professor of Neurology	Neuronal death
Joaquin M. Fuster, M.D., Ph.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Cortical physiology of perception and memory
Adriana Galván, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Psychology (Developmental Area)	Adolescent brain development
Thomas R. Garrick, M.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Violence recidivisim in sexually violent predators
Richard A. Gatti, M.D.	Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and Human Genetics	Molecular genetics of ataxia-telangiectasia
Dave A. Gayle, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology	Impact of in utero infections on fetal neurodevelopment
Daniel H. Geschwind, M.D., Ph.D.	Gordon and Virginia MacDonald Distinguished Professor of Human Genetics; Professor of Neurology, and Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences; Director, Neurogenetics Program; Director, UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment	Developmental neurogenetics
Christopher C. Giza, M.D.	Associate Professor of Surgery (Neurosurgery) and Pediatrics(Pediatric Neurology)	Developmental brain injury and neuroplasticity
David L. Glanzman, Ph.D.	Professor of Physiological Science, and Neurobiology	Neurobiology of learning and memory in Aplysia
Vay Liang W. Go, M.D.	Professor of Medicine (Digestive Diseases); Co-Director, UCLA Center for Human Nutrition	Brain-pancreas interaction in metabolic regulation and cancer prevention
Fernando Gómez-Pinilla, Ph.D.	Professor of Surgery (Neurosurgery), and Physiological Science	Mechanisms of brain plasticity and repair
Michael B. Gorin, M.D., Ph.D.	Harold and Pauline Price Professor of Ophthalmology; Professor of Human Genetics	Ophthalmic genetics, neurobiology of ocular pain
Robert J. Greenberg, Ph.D.	Adjunct Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering	Electrical stimulation of the retina with the goal of creating a retinal prosthesis for patients blind from outer retinal degenerations
Carlos V. Grijalva, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychology; Associate Dean, Graduate Division	Behavioral neuroscience
Alan D. Grinnell, Ph.D.	Distinguished Professor of Physiology, and Physiological Science; Director, Ahmanson Laboratory of Neurobiology	Synaptic mechanisms
William Grisham, Ph.D.	Adjunct Professor of Psychology	Birdsong and sex differences in the brain
Warren S. Grundfest, M.D., FACS	Professor of Surgery; Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Electrical Engineering	Biomedical sensors, optics, and lasers
Cameron B. Gundersen, Ph.D.	Professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology	Presynaptic structure and function
Ming Guo, M.D., Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Neurology, and Molecular and Medical Pharmacology	Mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases
Zhefeng Guo, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Neurology	Structural biology of amyloid-related neurodegenerative diseases
Karen H. Gylys, Ph.D., R.N.	Associate Professor, School of Nursing	Alzheimer’s disease and early cellular events
Ronald M. Harper, Ph.D.	Distinguished Professor of Neurobiology	Neural mechanisms underlying cardiovascular and respiratory control during sleep and waking states
Neil G.Harris, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Surgery (Neurosurgery)	Brain Trauma: plasticity, blood flow & metabolism, neurogenesis, PET, MRI
Volker Hartenstein, M.D., Ph.D.	Professor of Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology	Developmental neurobiology
Leif A. Havton, M.D., Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Neurology	Spinal cord injury and repair
Chih-Ming Ho, Ph.D.	Ben Rich-Lockheed Martin Professor of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering; Director, Institute for Cell Mimetic Space Exploration; Associate Vice Chancellor for Research	Micro/nano technology for bio applications
Larry F. Hoffman, Ph.D.	Adjunct Professor of Surgery (Head & Neck)	Sensory neuroscience, particularly involving the vestibular system
Joshua A. Hoffs, M.D.	Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Mind-brain-integration
Keith J. Holyoak, Ph.D.	Distinguished Professor of Psychology	Cognitive science and neuroscience of reasoning
Carolyn R. Houser, Ph.D.	Professor of Neurobiology	Morphological studies of the GABA system and epilepsy
David A. Hovda, Ph.D.	Professor of Surgery (Neurosurgery), and Molecular and Medical Pharmacology	Neurotrauma
Sherrel Howard, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Dopamine receptors, oligodendrocyte development, drugs of abuse
Yih-Ing Hser, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Drug abuse treatment process and outcome; life course drug use
Wayne L. Hubbell, Ph.D.	Jules Stein Professor of Ophthalmology; Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry	Molecular basis of membrane excitation
Marco Iacoboni, M.D., Ph.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Brain imaging; neural systems for social cognition
Louis J. Ignarro, Ph.D.	Professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology; Jerome J. Belzer Chair—Medical Research	Nitric oxide, vascular physiology, cellular proliferation
Martin Y. Iguchi, Ph.D.	Professor of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health	Drug abuse treatment, prevention, and policy; HIV outreach, behavioral interventions, and public health
Michael R. Irwin, M.D.	Norman Cousins Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences; Director and Senior Research Scientist, Norman Cousins Program in Psychoneuroimmunology	Psychoneuroimmunology, insomnia, fatigue, cancer survivors
Joanna C. Jen, M.D., Ph.D.	Professor of Neurology	Genetic and physiological bases of neurological disorders involving balance, coordination, and eye movement control
J. David Jentsch, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychology, and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences; Associate Director for Research, Brain Research Institute	Neuropsychopharmacology of cognition and attention; behavioral functions of monoamine transmitters, with emphasis on dopamine; genetic and developmental basis of schizophrenia
Jack W. Judy, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering	Neural prostheses and neural micro-instruments produced with microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technologies
H. Ronald Kaback, M.D.	Distinguished Professor of Physiology, and Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics	Structure and function of lactose permease and other MFS transporters
Bruce L. Kagan, M.D., Ph.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Neurotoxicity caused by channel forming toxins
Patricia A. Kapur, M.D.	Professor and Chair, Department of Anesthesiology; Ronald L. Katz Chair	Anesthesiology
Daniel L. Kaufman, Ph.D.	Professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology	Autoimmune disease, imaging and neurodevelopment
Erin Keen-Rhinehart, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology	Reproductive and metabolic neuroendocrinology
Baljit S. Khakh, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Physiology, and Neurobiology	Ion channels and synapses
Barbara J. Knowlton, Ph.D.	Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Undergraduate Programs, Department of Psychology	Cognitive neuroscience
Carla M. Koehler, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry	Molecular basis of mitochondrial diseases
Brian J. Koos, M.D., Ph.D.	Professor and Vice Chair (Academic Affairs) of Obstetrics and Gynecology	Fetal behavior and cardiovascular responses to hypoxia
Harley I. Kornblum, M.D., Ph.D.	Professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, and Pediatrics	Neural stemcells, neural repair, and brain tumors
David E. Krantz, M.D., Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Regulation of neurotransmitter transporters in Drosophila
Franklin B. Krasne, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychology	Neurobiology (circuitry and circuit function) of escape behavior in crayfish, primarily modulation of circuit function by experience and neuromodulators including serotonin
Sally Krasne, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Physiology	Analysis of the structural basis of ion channel function
Ira Kurtz, M.D.	Professor of Medicine; Chief, Division of Nephrology; Factor Chair in Molecular Nephrology	Acid-base transporters
Jennifer S. Labus, Ph.D.	Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Dynamics of neural networks underlying functional pain disorders and stress neurobiology
Albert Lai, M.D., Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Neurology	Epigenetic/genetic characterization of glioblastoma response to therapy
Joseph L. Lasky, III, M.D.	Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics (Hematology/Oncology), and Neurosurgery	Molecular mechanisms of, and targeted therapies for pediatric central nervous system tumors
Jin Hyung Lee, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering	Optogenetics; functional and molecular brain imaging
Andrew F. Leuchter, M.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences; Director, Laboratory of Brain, Behavior and Pharmacology; Director, Office of Professional and Community Education	Clinical neurophysiology; placebo effect
Michel F. Lévesque, M.D.	Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery (Neurosurgery); Director, Functional Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center	Molecular and cellular analysis of nervous system regeneration
Barbara A. Levey, M.D.	Professor of Medicine; Assistant Vice Chancellor of Biomedical Affairs	Clinical pharmacology
Michael S. Levine, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences; Associate Director, Mental Retardation Research Center; Associate Director for Education, Brain Research Institute; Chair, Graduate Interdepartmental Program for Neuroscience	The mechanisms underlying neuronal dysfunction in the basal ganglia and cortex in neurodegenerative disorders
Linda M. Liau, M.D., Ph.D.	Professor of Surgery (Neurosurgery)	Brain tumor molecular biology, neuro-immunology and stem cells
Shuo Lin, Ph.D.	Professor of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology	Mechanisms involved in lineage-specific gene expression and proliferation of neuronal and neuroendocrine progenitor cells
Walter Ling, M.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Development and evaluation of pharmacotherapy-based and behavioral therapies for treatment of drug dependence
Xin Liu, M.D., Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and Molecular and Medical Pharmacology	Molecular neurology; neuronal growth and differentiation
Zili Liu, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Psychology	Visual perception and computation
Edythe D. London, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, and Molecular and Medical Pharmacology	Brain imaging (PET, MRI) in studies of drug abuse
Pedro R. Lowenstein, M.D., Ph.D.	Professor of Medicine, and Molecular and Medical Pharmacology; Director, Gene Therapeutics Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center	Gene therapy
Aldons J. Lusis, Ph.D.	Professor and Vice-Chair, Department of Human Genetics; Professor of Microbiology, Immunology, & Molecular Genetics, and Professor of Medicine	Genetic dissection of complex traits
Karen M. Lyons, Ph.D.	Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology, and Biological Chemistry	The roles of BMP signaling pathways in organogenesis
Paul M. Macey, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Nursing	Central control of sleep and breathing, and changes in CNS with sleep-disordered breathing
Nigel T. Maidment, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Neuropharmacology of drug abuse
Kelsey C. Martin, M.D., Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, and Biological Chemistry	Cell biological and molecular mechanisms of synapse formation and synaptic plasticity
Juan Carlos G. Marvizón, Ph.D.	Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicine (Digestive Diseases)	Neurophysiology of pain and analgesia; cellular and molecular mechanisms that mediate central sensitization in the spinal cord
Gary W. Mathern, M.D.	Professor of Surgery (Neurosurgery)	Anatomic changes in human brain tissue removed to control epilepsy
Emeran A. Mayer, M.D.	Professor of Medicine, Physiology, and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences; Director, Center for Neurobiology of Stress; Associate Director, CURE: Digestive Diseases Research Center	Neurobiology of visceral pain, stress and brain-gut interactions
John C. Mazziotta, M.D., Ph.D.	Professor and Chair, Department of Neurology; Director, Brain Mapping Center; Associate Director, Semel Institute	Develop, refine, validate and distribute tools and data to measure brain structure and function in both health and disease
Edward R. B. McCabe, M.D., Ph.D.	Professor and Executive Chair, Department of Pediatrics; Professor of Human Genetics, and Bioengineering; Physician-in-Chief, Mattel Children’s Hospital	Developmental medical genetics and molecular medicine
James T. McCracken, M.D.	Joseph Campbell Professor of Child Psychiatry; Director, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences	Pediatric psychopharmacology, pharmacogenetics, brain imaging and development
Dennis J. McGinty, Ph.D.	Adjunct Professor of Psychology; Chief, Neurophysiology Research, Sepulveda VAMC	Hypothalamic control of sleep; sleep deprivation and neurogenesis
Mayank R. Mehta, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy, and Neurology	Systems neuroscience, computational neuroscience
William P. Melega, Ph.D.	Professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology	The function of the nigrostriatal dopamine system and its alterations in pathology (methamphetamine neurotoxicity, Parkinson’s disease)
Walter Metzner, Ph.D.	Professor of Physiological Science	Behavioral neuroscience (Neuroethology)
Paul E. Micevych, Ph.D.	Professor of Neurobiology, and Surgery (Head & Neck Surgery)	Functional plasticity of steroid sensitive CNS circuits, reproductive behavior and physiology of neurosteroids
Thomas R. Minor, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychology	Psychobiology of anxiety and depression
Paul S. Mischel, M.D.	Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine	Molecular profiling of glioblastoma
Istvan Mody, Ph.D.	Tony Coelho Professor of Neurology, and Professor of Physiology	Synaptic signaling in health and disease
Bartly J. Mondino, M.D.	Bradley R. Straatsma Professor of Ophthalmology; Chair, Department of Ophthalmology; Director, Jules Stein Eye Institute; Chief, Cornea-External Disease Division	Cornea-external disease
Norman S. Namerow, M.D.	Clinical Professor of Neurology, and Psychiatry	Chronic pain
Peter M. Narins, Ph.D.	Distinguished Professor of Physiological Science, and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology	Auditory physiology and behavior
Katherine L. Narr, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Neurology	Applied neurobiological imaging in psychiatric disorders
Linda Nelson, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychiatry	Aging and the progression of Alzheimer's disease in adults with Down syndrome
Valeriy Nenov, Ph.D.	Adjunct Associate Professor of Surgery (Neurosurgery), and Biomedical Engineering IDP	Development of Java-based telemedical applications for remote monitoring of patients in intensive care; computational modeling of memory functions of the hippocampus
Elizabeth F. Neufeld, Ph.D.	Professor of Biological Chemistry	Studies focus on the mouse model of the lysosomal storage disease Sanfilippo syndrome type B, with special emphasis in treating the brain
Bennett G. Novitch, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Neurobiology	Regulation of stem and progenitor cell specification and differentiation in the vertebrate central nervous system
Marc R. Nuwer, M.D., Ph.D.	Professor of Neurology; Department Head, Clinical Neurophysiology	Development of brain monitoring for surgery and critical care units; public policy in professional practice
Thomas J. O'Dell, Ph.D.	Professor and Executive Vice Chair of Physiology	Synaptic plasticity, learning and memory
Paul H. O'Lague, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology	Mathematical modeling of osmoregulation using phase transition physics to model osmoregulation in cells
Riccardo Olcese, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, Division of Molecular Medicine	Molecular physiology and biophysics of voltage and calcium dependent ion channels
Richard W. Olsen, Ph.D.	Professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, and Anesthesiology	Molecular neuropharmacology
Thomas Otis, Ph.D.	Professor of Neurobiology	Synaptic transmission, cerebellar circuits
Diane M. Papazian, Ph.D.	Professor of Physiology	Structure, function, and biogenesis of voltage-gated potassium channels
William M. Pardridge, M.D.	Professor of Medicine (Endocrinology)	Blood-brain barrier; drug targeting to brain; brain gene therapy
Robert N. Pechnick, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Preclinical models of neuropsychiatric illness and drug abuse
Michael E. Phelps, Ph.D.	Norton Simon Professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology; Chair, Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology; Director, Crump Institute for Biological Imaging; Associate Director, Laboratory of Structural Biology and Molecular Medicine; Professor of Biomath	The merger of biology and imaging to provide the means to examine molecular and cellular function in tissue cultures as well as integrated organ function in animals and humans
Patricia E. Phelps, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Physiological Science	Intercellular relationships and molecules that control neuronal migration in the developing mammalian spinal cord
Michel Philippart, M.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Pediatrics, and Neurology	Developmental disorders, leukodystrophies
Natik Piri, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology	Molecular biology of retinal ganglion cells
Russell A. Poldrack, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychology, and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Cognitive neuroscience of human learning and memory
Whitney B. Pope, M.D., Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Radiology (Neuroradiology)	Brain tumor imaging using MRI, perfusion and diffusion
Carlos Portera-Cailliau, M.D., Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Neurology, and Neurobiology	Imaging the assembly and plasticity of cortical circuits with two-photon microscopy
Mayumi L. Prins,, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Surgery (Neurosurgery)	Traumatic brain injury
Robert M. Prins, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Surgery (Neurosurgery)	T lymphocyte-mediated immune surveillance for malignant brain tumors
Javier Quintana, M.D., Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Decision making, emotional processing, fMRI
Richard Rawson, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences; Associate Director, Integrated Substance Abuse Programs (ISAP)	Substance use disorder and evaluation
Lara Ray, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Psychology (Clinical Area)	Genetics of addiction
Dario L. Ringach, Ph.D.	Professor of Neurobiology, and Psychology	Visual electrophysiology and psychophysics, mathematical modeling of receptive field function, cortical dynamics
Leonard H. Rome, Ph.D.	Professor of Biological Chemistry; Senior Associate Dean for Research; Associate Vice Chancellor for Research for Life Health Sciences	The study of biogenesis and function of novel subcellular organelles called vaults
Roland R. Roy, Ph.D.	Researcher, Brain Research Institute, and Physiological Science	Neuromuscular plasticity
Eduardo H. Rubinstein, M.D., Ph.D.	Professor of Physiology, and Anesthesiology	Techniques for brain protection during ischemia
Fred W. Sabb, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Phenomics
Alvaro Sagasti, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology	How neurons adopt their complex shapes
Albert Sattin, M.D.	Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences: Chief, Antidepressant Neuropharmacology Laboratory, West Los Angeles VAMC	Mechanism of therapeutic action of lithium and valproate involving TRH receptors
Arnold B. Scheibel, M.D.	Distinguished Professor of Neurobiology, and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Schizophrenia
Stan Schein, M.D., Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Psychology	Retinal circuits and color vision; retinal synapses and synaptic release processes; endocytosis and fullerene self-assembly
Barnett A. Schlinger, Ph.D.	Professor and Vice-Chair of Physiological Science	Steroid synthesis by the brain; hormonal control of neural development and behavior
Felix E. Schweizer, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Neurobiology	Synaptic transmission
Ladan Shams, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Psychology	Multisensory integration, visual perception, perceptual learning
Steven Shoptaw, Ph.D.	Professor of Family Medicine, and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Medication and behavioral therapy for methamphetamine abuse
Nancy Sicotte, M.D.	Associate Professor of Neurology, Division of Brain Mapping	Neuroimaging, Genetic Disorders of Brain Development
Jerome M. Siegel, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences; Chief, Neurobiology Research, Sepulveda VAMC	Sleep, narcolepsy; evolution and function of REM sleep
Alcino J. Silva, Ph.D.	Professor of Neurobiology, Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, and Psychology	Molecular and cellular mechanisms of learning and memory
Daniel H.S. Silverman, M.D., Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology; Head Neuromuscular Imaging Section, Ahmanson Biological Imaging Division; Associate Director, Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Imaging Core	Neurological bases of memory, mood, and other aspects of cognitive function and behaviors
Dwayne D. Simmons, Ph.D.	Professor of Physiological Science; Director, Minority Access to Research Careers Program; Associate Director of Outreach, Brain Research Institute	Synapse formation and sensory cell development
Elyse J. Singer, M.D.	Professor of Neurology	Effects of HIV-1 and related viruses on the nervous system
Yvonne S. Sininger, Ph.D.	Professor of Surgery (Head & Neck)	Auditory system development and disorders
Gary W. Small, M.D.	Parlow-Solomon Professor on Aging; Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences; Director, Center on Aging; Director, Memory & Aging Research Center, UCLA	The study of diseases of aging, with emphasis on the prevention of memory loss and the promotion of healthy aging
Desmond J. Smith, M.D., Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology	Functional genomics of the brain
Judith L. Smith, Ph.D.	Professor of Physiological Science; Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, College of Letters and Science	Neural control of stereotypic limb motions
Michael V. Sofroniew, M.D., Ph.D.	Professor of Neurobiology	Neural injury and repair
Sophie Sokolow, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor, School of Nursing	Alzheimer's disease
Elizabeth R. Sowell, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Neurology	Developmental neuroimaging
Igor Spigelman, Ph.D.	Professor of Oral Biology and Medicine	Neurobiology of disease; basic mechanisms of chronic pain, seizures, stroke and brain trauma
Francis F. Steen, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Communication Studies/Speech	Evolved mechanisms for simulation learning
Enrico Stefani, M.D., Ph.D.	Distinguished Professor  and Director, Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology;   Distinguished Professor of Physiology	To visualize static and dynamic changes of macromolecular complexes regulating heart and vascular signaling in a pressure overload model of heart failure
Catia Sternini, M.D.	Professor of Medicine, and Neurobiology	Transmitter and receptor function in the enteric nervous system and the mechanisms that govern receptor-mediated responses to neurons
Ronald Stevens, Ph.D.	Professor of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics	IMMEX Project: Computer based education; machine learning models of problem solving
Hui Sun, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Physiology	Photoreceptor biogenesis and degeneration; light and circadian control of photoreceptor function
Yi E. Sun, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, and Molecular and Medical Pharmacology	Cell signaling and transcriptional regulation during neural stem cell differentiation
Yvette Taché, Ph.D.	Professor of Medicine (Digestive Diseases)	Brain-gut interactions
Anna N. Taylor, Ph.D.	Professor of Neurobiology; Senior Research Career Scientist, VAGLAHS	Neuroendocrine-immunology
David B. Teplow, Ph.D.	Professor of Neurology	Structural and molecular biology of amyloid proteins
Bruce Teter, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Medicine	Mechanisms of regeneration in the brain with relevance to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s Parkinson’s, in particular the apolipoprotein (apoE) gene function and its defective isotype
Paul M. Thompson, Ph.D.	Professor of Neurology	Neuroimaging and brain mapping
James G. Tidball, Ph.D.	Professor of Physiological Science, and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine; Chair, Molecular, Cellular & Integrative Physiology; Director, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Research Center	Pathophysiology of muscular dystrophy
Niranjala J.K. Tillakaratne, Ph.D.	Associate Researcher, Department of Physiological Science	Neuroplasticity after spinal cord injury and rehabilitation
Seema K. Tiwari-Woodruff, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Neurology	Molecular mechanisms involved in proliferation and migration of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells in the CNS
Arthur W. Toga, Ph.D.	Professor of Neurology; Director, Laboratory of Neuro Imaging; Co-Director, Division of Brain Mapping	Visualization of brain structure and function
Ligia Toro, Ph.D.	Professor of Anesthesiology, and Molecular and Medical Pharmacology	Ion channels and tyrosine kinases in cardiovascular biology and aging
Wallace W. Tourtellotte, M.D., Ph.D.	Distinguished Professor of Neurology	Etiopathogenesis of multiple sclerosis
Joshua T. Trachtenberg, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Neurobiology	Experience-dependent cortical plasticity
Gabriel H. Travis, M.D.	Charles Kenneth Feldman Chair, and Jules and Doris Stein Research to Prevent Blindness Professor, Department of Ophthalmology; Professor of Biological Chemistry	Biochemistry of vertebrate photoreceptors
Robert B. Trelease, Ph.D.	Adjunct Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine; Director, Division of Integrative Anatomy, Dean’s Office, School of Medicine	Anatomical informatics, artificial intelligence, modeling and simulation of complex systems
Cho-Lea Tso, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor of Medicine (Hematology & Oncology)	Brain cancer stem cells (glioblastoma)
John D. Van Horn, Ph.D., M. Eng.	Assistant Professor of Neurology	Human neuroimaging
Julio L. Vergara, Ph.D.	Professor of Physiology	Skeletal muscle excitation-contraction coupling and synaptic transmission
Eric Vilain, M.D., Ph.D.	Professor of Human Genetics, Pediatrics, and Urology	Genetics of sex determination and development of the human reproductive system
Jaime R. Villablanca, M.D.	Distinguished Professor of Neurobiology, and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Developmental post-lesion neuroplasticity
Juan Pablo Villablanca, M.D.	Associate Professor and Chief of Neuroradiology	Diagnostic Neuroradiology (Stroke)
Harry V. Vinters, M.D.	Professor of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, and Neurology; Daljit S. & Elaine Sarkaria Chair in Diagnostic Medicine; Director, Neuropathology Laboratory	Molecular pathogenesis of human CNS disease, including dementia, parenchymal substrates of epilepsy, and stroke/cerebrovascular disease
Rhonda R. Voskuhl, M.D.	Professor of Neurology	Mechanisms in the immunopathogenesis of multiple sclerosis in humans using the animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis to develop novel therapies for disease
Roi Ann Wallis, M.D.	Associate Professor of Neurology; Associate Chief of Neurology, VA GLAHS	Mechanisms of neuronal injury from trauma and stroke
James A. Waschek, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Neuropeptide actions in development, injury, brain tumors, and neural systems
Claude G. Wasterlain, M.D.	Distinguished Professor of Neurology; Vice Chair Neurology, West Los Angeles VAMC	The neuroscience of epilepsy
Joseph B. Watson, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences; Associate Director for Neuroscience Outreach, Brain Research Institute	Role of reactive oxygen species in synaptic plasticity; synaptic failure related to Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease
Nancy L. Wayne, Ph.D.	Professor of Physiology	Mechanisms regulating neuropeptide synthesis and secretion
Geraldine A. Weinmaster, Ph.D.	Professor of Biological Chemistry	Molecular mechanisms of ligand-induced Notch signal transduction in mammalian cells
Stephanie A. White, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Physiological Science	How social interactions influence the brain
Julian Whitelegge, Ph.D.	Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavorial Sciences	Neurodegeneration and biological mass spectrometry
Peter C. Whybrow, M.D.	Director, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior; Judson Braun Distinguished Professor and Executive Chair, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; Physician-in-Chief, Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital	Depression and manic-depressive disease and the effects of thyroid hormone on the brain and human behavior
Martina Wiedau-Pazos, M.D.	Assistant Professor of Neurology	Neurodegeneration; evaluation of mouse models of dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Roger P. Woods, M.D.	Professor of Neurology, and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Structural and functional brain imaging
Ernest M. Wright, D.Sc.	Professor of Physiology, Mellinkoff Professor in Medicine	The molecular physiology of Na+ cotransporters including the neuronal Na+/C1-/GABA cotransporter
Allan D. Wu, M.D.	Assistant Professor of Neurology	Parkinson's disease; transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
Benjamin M. Wu, D.D.S., Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Bioengineering	Biomaterials and tissue engineering
Hong M. Wu, M.D., Ph.D.	Professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology	Neuronal stem cells and tumorigenesis
Cui-Wei Xie, M.D., Ph.D.	Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Cellular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity, learning and memory; implications in drug abuse and Alzheimer’s dementia
Hong Yang, M.D., Ph.D.	Research Physiologist, Department of Medicine (Digestive Diseases)	Regulation of medullary autonomic regulatory pathways by circulating hormones
Xiangdong William Yang, M.D., Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences	Mouse molecular genetics are used to study the pathogenesis and develop treatment for neurodegenerative diseases
Xian-Jie Yang, Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Ophthalmology	Retinal development and gene therapy
William H. Yong, M.D.	Associate Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (Neuropathology)	Brain tumor diagnostics; pathology informatics
Alan Yuille, Ph.D.	Professor of Statistics, and Psychology	Vision as Bayesian inference
Dahlia Zaidel, Ph.D.	Adjunct Professor of Psychology	Charting the morphology and cytoarchitecture of the left and right hippocampus in postmortem tissue from normal early development, adult and old age, and from diseases such as schizophrenia or Alzheimer’s disease, and genetic anomalies
Eran Zaidel, Ph.D.	Professor of Psychology (Behavioral Neuroscience and Cognition)	Cognitive neuroscience
Guido A. Zampighi, D.D.S., Ph.D.	Professor of Neurobiology	Structure of ion channels and transporters
Richard K. Zimmer, Ph.D.	Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology	Ecology and sensory biology of aquatic animals; chemical signals and communication
S. Lawrence Zipursky, Ph.D.	Professor of Biological Chemistry; Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute	The molecular mechanism regulating the formation of neuronal connections