All biological systems share common mechanisms at the cellular and molecular levels yet they exhibit tremendous diversity of organization and function. This diversity arises at the level of cell-cell communication. The most complex degree of cell-cell communication is in the nervous system. In the brain, this complexity is expressed at the level of neural networks. Neural networks are the unique, defining characteristic of the nervous system.

Our research centers on understanding the organization, function and development of neural networks.

Development and functional organization of the olfactory system:
Cellular/molecular bases of early olfactory development. Studies also include transmitter and biophysical bases of olfactory bulb neural network unctions using an in vitro slice developed in this laboratory, in vivo and computational models. This research is supported by 2 NIH R01 grants and a Program project grant of which Dr. Shipley is Program Director.

Neural transmission:
Functions of transmitters including pathogenesis in epileptic seizures; responses of astrocytes and microglia to transmitters and seizures. This research is supported by an R01 grant, a contract from DoD. Anatomical and physiological studies of locus coeruleus-NE function is supported by a collaborative NIH grant.

Functional organization of the midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG):
Research in this laboratory has disclosed a high degree of neural network organization n the PAG, a structure, critical to the expression of behavioral responses and autonomic adjustments critical to the survival of the organism and species propagation. Current research focuses on the regulation and integration of the functions mediated by these discretely organized PAG networks. This research is supported by NIH grants.