Pharmacology & Toxicology
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Division Head
Tenured/Tenure-Track, Research and Graduate Training Faculty
Non Tenure Track, Research and Graduate Training Faculty
Teaching and Administrative Faculty
Retired and Emeritus Faculty
Affiliate and Adjunct Faculty
Additional information is available about most faculty members and their labs. To access it, please click on the names that appear in orange text.
Division Head
Dr. Richburg's research focuses on characterizing the molecular and cellular mechanisms that initiate testicular germ cells to undergo apoptosis after injury by environmental or chemotherapeutic agents.
Tenured/Tenure-Track, Research and Graduate Training Faculty
DiGiovanni's research focuses on understanding how cancer develops and on the identification of novel targets, mechanisms and strategies for cancer prevention.
Duvauchelle is exploring neural mechanisms of reward using behavioral, pharmacological, neurochemical & immunological methodologies.
The goal of Gonzales' lab is to understand the neurochemical basis for ethanol drinking behavior.
Gore's laboratory is interested in the mechanisms by which the brain controls reproductive development and aging.
Harris' laboratory is investigating structure and function of ion channels with emphasis on molecular mechanisms responsible for alcohol and drug actions.
Messing's research is focused on disturbances in signal transduction that contribute to addiction, emotional disorders, and pain, with the goal of
identifying new treatments.
Mihics' laboratory is focused on characterizing the molecular mechanisms through which alcohol, inhaled solvents, sedatives and anaesthetics act on ligand-activated ion channels.
Understanding mitochondrial and bioenergetic signaling mechanisms that contribute to age-related metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cancer.
Morrisett's primary research interests center upon the role of amino-acid derived neurotransmitter systems and synaptic transmission in alterations that in underlie a variety of forms of neural functioning and pathologies.
Mukhopadhyay studies intracellular membrane trafficking in the context of normal cell physiology and human disease.
Van Den Berg's research focuses on the role of growth factor-mediated treatment resistance in breast cancer.
Vasquez' research efforts are focused in the areas of genome instability, DNA damage and mechanisms of repair. A unique feature of this lab's approach is an emphasis on the role of DNA structure in human disease, particularly on cancer-relevant chromosomal translocations, and the development of novel therapeutic strategies for treating cancer.
Wright's laboratory is focused on unraveling the complex regulatory mechanisms that govern the activity of the pluripotent transcription factor nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB).
Non Tenure Track, Research and Graduate Training Faculty
Angel studies the genetics of susceptibility to carcinogen exposure using mouse models.
Kiguchi's research is focusing on the role of erbB2 during biliary tract and esophageal carcinogenesis. In addition, under the long-term collaboration with Dr. John DiGiovanni (DPRI), his research explores the role of Stat3 and Akt signalings in epithelial carcinogenesis and cell proliferation.
Ponomarev's research focuses on two related questions: a) molecular mechanisms of alcohol addiction and b) molecular mechanisms of brain plasticity in response to genetic and pharmacological perturbations.
Wang's research activity is focused on understanding the effects of DNA modification and secondary structure on DNA damage/repair and genomic instability, and the cellular response to DNA damaging agents.
Teaching and Administrative Faculty
Erickson is interested in behavioral change methods and theory, attitudinal theory, and how to influence public opinion regarding drug use, abuse and dependence in our society.
Wilcox is interested in both agonist affinity at closely related receptors and science education in dual diagnosis patients.
Retired and Emeritus Faculty
Combs is interested in cardiovascular pharmacology and toxicology and in pharmacogenetics/genomics as well as distance education and the instructional uses of technology.
Fineg is interested in computer-based animal care management.
Affiliate & Adjunct Faculty
Shawn B. Bratton, Ph.D.
Claudio J. Conti, DVM PhD.
David Crews, Ph.D.
Richard H. Finnell, Ph.D.
Susan M. Fischer, Ph.D.
Alan Frazer, Ph.D.
Francisco Gonzalez-Lima,
Ph.D.
Roberta L. Grant, Ph.D.
Stephen D. Hursting,
Ph.D.
David Johnson,
Ph.D.
John Ivy, Ph.D.
Kimberly Kline,
Ph.D.
Michael MacLeod,
Ph.D.
John O'Neill, H.S.D.
Patterson,Wayne R. PHD
Dean Tang,
Ph.D.
John F. Villanacci, Ph.D.
Cheryl L. Walker,
Ph.D.
Program Coordinator
BME 3.510
Phone: 512-471-5096
Link to our
directories page for additional directory information.
Last Reviewed: May 2, 2013
"Drugs, the Brain and Behavior" is co-authored by Dr. Carlton Erickson, the college's associate dean for research and graduate studies,
and Dr. John Brick, executive director of Intoxikon International.
