Research

The neuroscience research community at Washington University, spanning multiple schools across two campuses, is large, diverse and collegial. Importantly, the scope of work performed by our Training Faculty matches the breadth of modern neuroscientific studies. It spans fundamental mechanisms of brain function and development, to neurological diseases and clinical interventions.

A selection of topics Neuroprep faculty mentors study:

• Pain
• Sleep
• Addiction
• Stroke
• Neuroimmunology
• Behavior
• Brain circuitry
• Parkinson’s disease

• Development
• Nerve repair
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Vision
• Language
• Movement
• Psychological disorders
• Neurogenetics

Faculty investigate these subjects using a range of approaches, including computational biology, device engineering, model organisms, neuroimaging, and clinical trials. They examine questions at all scales, from the microscopic to the whole organism.

Each faculty member maintains active, well-funded research programs and engages in meaningful training and education of students. Neuroprep scholars will briefly rotate through three labs at the beginning of their program and select the best fit for continued research.

Neuroprep faculty mentors are affiliated with 15 Departments:

While doing research, Neuroprep participants will benefit from the synergistic activities of 35 Research Centers, more than 50 Core Facilities that provide services and expertise including:

• imaging of single molecules, cells, circuits and brains
• behavioral phenotyping in small animals and in humans
• genome editing
• biomedical informatics
• tissue culture and stem cell production
• proteomics
• mass spectrometry

Research in Neuroprep labs

Written by Neuroprep Scholars

Synthetically derived cannabis drug relieves pain in mice

Alexa Toliver

Scientists test a compound that acts on cannabinoid receptors in the peripheral nervous system meant to relieve pain without typical side effects of marijuana usage.

Breaking the ice on the role of opioids in cold hypersensitivity

Kamden Kuklinski

Researchers have recently uncovered a role for the kappa opioid receptor in mediating cold allodynia – an increased sensitivity to cold temperature.

Decoding mental health in the UK Biobank

Cabria Shelton

A study of a database containing more than 500,000 participants provides new insights into biomarkers for anxiety and depression.

The neuroscience of rewards: How the brain calculates pleasure

Michelle Lynch

A subtype of inhibitory neurons in the mouse brain are activated when consuming a treat to assign value to the reward.

This fish recognizes its own electrical signals, even during hormonal “voice” changes

Maggie Stanford

Weakly electric mormyrid fish can tune out their own “electric voice” and properly shift this internal filter in time with testosterone-driven changes.

Other highlights from neuroscience labs at WashU

Rejuvenated immune cells can improve clearance of toxic waste from brain (Links to an external site)

Findings in mice suggest new therapeutic approach to Alzheimer’s, other age-related diseases

Understanding, treating pain, reducing opioid use, aim of $11.7 million grant (Links to an external site)

Funding from NIH HEAL Initiative

New strategy shows potential to block nerve loss in neurodegenerative diseases (Links to an external site)

Research into how key molecule triggers axon death may lead to new therapies

Simple blood test predicts neurotoxic complications of CAR-T cell therapy (Links to an external site)

Identifying high-risk patients could improve cancer care.

Study points to new approach to clearing toxic waste from brain (Links to an external site)

Could aid efforts to find treatments for Alzheimer’s, other diseases

New Neuroscience Research Building

A new dedicated Neuroscience Research Building at the School of Medicine is slated to open in 2023. It will be one of the largest of its kind in the country and feature 11 floors and 100+ laboratories from more than five Departments. Although NeuroPrep participants may join labs housed in other buildings, this new facility will be a center for neuroscience activity at WashU. NeuroPrep scholars will derive substantial benefit from immersion in a culture whereby they easily access and interact with numerous neuroscience groups.