Faculty
The department currently has 13 tenure-track faculty members, 6 full-time research and clinical faculty, and 15 adjunct faculty members. Their research interests and links to contact them are listed below.
Primary Faculty | Research and Instructor Track Faculty | Adjunct Faculty | Emeritus Faculty | Past
Primary Faculty
| Name & Contact | Position | Research Interests |
|---|---|---|
| Rick Ash, Ph.D. rick.ash@utah.edu 801-581-3192 |
Professor | Membrane trasnport and teh use of technology in medical education. |
| Maureen Condic, Ph.D. mlcondic@neuro.utah.edu 801-585-3482 |
Associate Professor | Control of neurite outgrowth and axon guidance. |
| Jan Christian, Ph.D. jan.christian@neuro.utah.edu 801-581-5397 |
Professor | Understanding how BMP activity is regulated by proprotein proteolysis and intracellular trafficking, and analysis of a novel protein that functions to regulate the balance between non-canonical and canonical Wnt signaling during hematopoiesis. |
| Adam Douglass, Ph.D. adam.douglass@neuro.utah.edu 801-587-8628 |
Assistant Professor | Functional anatomy of neuromodulatory circuits. |
| Richard Dorsky, Ph.D. richard.dorsky@neuro.utah.edu 801-581-6073 Lab Web Site |
Associate Professor | The role of the Wnt signaling pathway in neural cell fate specification. |
| Christopher Gregg, Ph.D. chris.gregg@neuro.utah.edu 801-581-8212 Lab Web Site |
Assistant Professor | Genomic imprinting and the identification of epigenetic and genetic pathways that influence neuronal circuits associated with feeding and foraging behavior and neuroeconomic decisions. |
| Thomas Parks, Ph.D. tom.parks@neuro.utah.edu 801-581-7236 |
Vice President for Research Professor |
Responsible for all research infrastructure, policies, and compliance for the University of Utah. |
| Scott Rogers, Ph.D. scott.rogers@hsc.utah.edu 801-585-6339 |
Professor | Molecular basis of neuro-immune interactions. |
| Yukio Saijoh, Ph.D. y.saijoh@utah.edu 801-585-9887 |
Assistant Professor | Pattern formation of vertebrates, how vertebrate make up their complicated and organized body pattern. |
| Gary Schoenwolf, Ph.D. schoenwolf@neuro.utah.edu 801-581-6453 Lab Web Site |
Distinguished Professor Editor-in-Chief, Developmental Dynamics |
How intercellular and intracellular signaling results in the generation of pattern during vertebrate development. |
| Sheryl Scott, Ph.D. sheryl@neuro.utah.edu 801-585-5633 |
Department Associate Chair Professor Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) |
Neuronal development. |
| Jason Shepherd, Ph.D. jason.shepherd@neuro.utah.edu 801-587-7854 Lab Web Site |
Assistant Professor | Mechanisms of memory consolidation and experience-dependent plasticity. Exploring the role of synaptic dysfunction in neurological disorders. |
| Sharif Taha, Ph.D. s.taha@utah.edu 801-585-6214 |
Assistant Professor | Neural control of reward-directed behaviors; role of opioid signaling in modulating food intake; impulsivity and alcohol consumption. |
| Monica Vetter, Ph.D. monica@neuro.utah.edu 801-581-4984 |
Department Chair Professor George and Lorna Winder Professor of Neuroscience |
Molecular pathways and cellular interactions governing retinal development and disease. |
| Matt Wachowiak, Ph.D. matt.wachowiak@utah.edu 801-587-9694 |
USTAR Associate Professor | Understanding the basic principles of olfactory function. |
| Megan Williams, Ph.D. megan.williams@neuro.utah.edu 801-581-8274 Lab Web Site |
Assistant Professor | Molecular mechanisms that regulate synapse formation and specificity of neural circuits. |
| H. Joseph Yost, Ph.D. joseph.yost@genetics.utah.edu 801-585-6110 Lab Web Site |
Professor | Embryonic axis formation, left-right asymmetry, cardiovascular development, the roles of proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans in cell-cell signaling, cell migration and cell-matrix interactions, discovering new genes in cancer biology. |
Research and Instructor Track Faculty
| Name & Contact | Position | Research Interests |
|---|---|---|
| Noel Carlson, Ph.D. noel.carlson@med.va.gov 801-584-1292 |
Research Associate Professor | Neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration and multiple sclerosis. |
| Alejandra Bosco, Ph.D. alebosco@neuro.utah.edu 801-585-9827 |
Assistant Professor | Molecular pathways and cellular interactions leading to retinal neurodegeneration in glaucoma. |
| Kathryn Moore, Ph.D. kmoore@neuro.utah.edu 801-585-9827 |
Research Associate Professor | Understanding the molecular pathways governing neuronal differentiation during retinal development. |
| David Morton, Ph.D. david.morton@hsc.utah.edu 801-581-3385 |
Associate Professor Gross Anatomy Course Director |
Dr. Morton is currently investigating the use of active learning exercises in the class room to promote analytical reasoning. He is also working on publishing an anatomy atlas, an anatomy text, a histology text and the second edition of his dissection guide. |
| Stephen Voron, M.D. savoron@earthlink.net 801-566-1508 |
Associate Professor (Lecturer) | Efficient and effective medical education in my areas of expertise: clinical neuroanatomy and diagnostic neuroradiology. |
Adjunct Faculty
| Name & Contact | position | Research Interests |
|---|---|---|
| Kurt Albertine, Ph.D. kurt.albertine@hsc.utah.edu 801-587-7490 |
Professor, Pediatrics | My research efforts are focused on lung biology in health and disease, for both neonates and adults. |
| Bala Ambati, M.D. bala.ambati@utah.edu 801-581-2352 |
Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences | Ocular Angiogenesis and Corneal Research. |
| Wolfgang Baehr, Ph.D. wbaehr@hsc.utah.edu 801-585-6643 |
Professor, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences | Exploration of genes expressed in mammalian rod and cone photoreceptor outer segments. |
| Josh Bonkowsky, M.D., Ph.D. joshua.bonkowsky@hsc.utah.edu 801-581-6756 Lab Web Site |
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics | Pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders. |
| Kenneth Foreman, PT, Ph.D. bo.foreman@hsc.utah.edu 801-581-3496 |
Assistant Professor, Physical Therapy | Educational outcomes with an emphasis in computer assisted instruction, and examinating the effects of dissection on teh spatial understanding of anatomy. |
| Yingbin Fu, Ph.D. yingbin.fu@hsc.utah.edu 801-213-3436 |
Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences | Signal Transduction and Protein Trafficking in Photoreceptors; Macular Degeneration. |
| Sabine Fuhrmann, Ph.D. Sabine.fuhrmann@hsc.utah.edu 801-581-4684 |
Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences | Regulation of early eye development in vertebrates. |
| Mary Hartnett, M.D. me.hartnett@hsc.utah.edu 801-585-6510 |
Professor, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences | Mechanisms of vascular genesis, dysgenesis and reorganization in retina. |
| Edward Levine, Ph.D. ed.levine@utah.edu 801-587-9537 |
Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences | Control of the cell cycle in retinogenesis. |
| Alan Light, Ph.D. alan.light@hsc.utah.edu 801-581-6393 |
Research Professor, Anesthesiology | Neurobiology of pain pathways. |
| Suzanne Mansour, Ph.D. suzi.mansour@genetics.utah.edu 801-585-6893 |
Associate Professor, Human Genetics | Genes involved in inner ear development and function. |
| Anne Moon, M.D., Ph.D. anne.moon@genetics.utah.edu 801-585-0717 |
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Neurobiology & Anatomy, and Human Genetics Investigator, Program in Molecular Medicine |
Understanding normal and abnormal cardiovascular and limb development. |
| Shannon Odelberg, Ph.D. odelberg@howard.genetics.utah.edu 801-581-7150 |
Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine | Identifying the genes that regulate cellular plasticity and other aspects of regeneration. |
| Tatjana Piotrowski, Ph.D. pio@stowers.org 816-926-4527 |
Associate Investigator, Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, Missouri |
Fundamental developmental mechanisms such as cell migration, cell proliferation and cell fate determination. |
| Christopher Rodesch, Ph.D. crodesch@cores.utah.edu 801-587-7964 |
Lab Director, Fluorescence Microscopy Core Facilty | Provide equipment and expertise necessary to facilitate the use of microscopy in research. |
| Alejandro Sánchez, Ph.D. asa@stowers.org 816-926-4529 |
Investigator, Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, Missouri |
Identification and characterization of the molecular components underpinning regeneration. |
| Ning Tian, M.D., Ph.D. ning.tian@hsc.utah.edu 801-581-2352 |
Associate Professor, Ophthalmology & Visual Science |
Synaptic plasticity. |
| Jun Yang, Ph.D. jun.yang@hsc.utah.edu |
Assistant Professor,
Ophthalmology & Visual Science |
Pathogenetic mechanisms of retinal degeneration and cell biology of photoreceptors |
Emeritus Faculty
| Name & Contact | Position | Research Interests |
|---|---|---|
| Webster S. S. Jee, Ph.D | Professor | Musculoskeletal Tissues. |
| Suzanne Stensaas, Ph.D. suzanne.stensaas@hsc.utah.edu |
Professor | Finding appropriate ways to integrate technology into teaching. |
In Remembrance
| Name & Contact | Position | Research Interests |
|---|---|---|
| Chi-Bin Chien | Professor | Understanding how genetic and molecular mechanisms control cell behavior in vivo. |
| Marcus Jacobson | Professor | Single-cell injection techniques and lineage tracing in Xenopus to study early patterning of the nervous system. |
