Barry D. Waterhouse, Ph.D., Professor & Chair, Cell Biology & Neuroscience

• Role of the central monominergic systems in brain function & behavior.

Rowan Medicine Building, Suite 2200: 856-566-6407
Science Center, 226: 856-566-6039
waterhouse@rowan.edu

Carl E. Hock, Ph.D., Professor, Senior Associate Dean for Research & GSBS

• Effect of humoral mediators and inflammatory cells in the pathophysiology of ischemic states
• Effects of dietary lipids on cardiovascular function
• Response of the young and aging heart to ischemia and reperfusion

RowanMedicine Building, Suite 2200: 856-566-6073
hock@rowan.edu

Michael Anikin, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

• Mechanisms of transcription
• RNA polymerase structure and function; mitochondrial transcription

Science Center, 207B: 856-566-6326
anikinmi@rowan.edu

Neda Bajalo, DVM, MSc, Assistant Professor and Attending Veterinarian

bajalo@rowan.edu

Sergei Borukhov, Ph.D., Associate Professor

• Molecular mechanisms of transcription and its regulation
• Structure and function of bacterial transcription factors GreA, GreB, Gfh1 and DksA that modulate the catalytic activities of RNA polymerase

Science Center, 108B: 856-566-6271
borukhse@rowan.edu

Rocco V. Carsia, Ph.D., Associate Professor

• Regulation of adrenocortical function in lizards and birds
• Mechanisms of adrenocortical remodeling with stress and endocrine alterations

Rowan Medicine Building, Office 3910: 856-566-6811
carsiaro@rowan.edu

Daniel J. Chandler, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

• Organizational & functional properties of the central monoaminergic projection systems.
• How central monoaminergic projection systems adapt in response to stress.

Science Center, 217: 856-566-6054
chandlerd@rowan.edu

Howard Chang, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

• Host-Microbes interaction
• Gut-Nervous system signaling
• Neurodegenerative disease modeling
  
  

 Science Center, B220: 856-566-6081
 changh@rowan.edu 

David Devilbiss, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

• Role of neuromodulators in shaping the neural dynamics of cognitive and behavioral flexibility.
• Electrophysiological signatures of cognitive dysfunction and therapeutics.
• Mechanisms of cognitive dysfunction following concussion and mild traumatic brain injury.

Science Center, 220: 856-566-6813
devilbiss@rowan.edu

Jeremy Francis, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

• Pathogenic mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases in an effort to identify avenues of therapeutic intervention
• Gene and cell-based therapies in animal models of disease to create a foundation for possible clinical application

Science Center, 253: 856-566-6905
francijs@rowan.edu

François D. H. Gould, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

• Neurological and musculoskeletal mechanisms of swallowing problems in Parkinson’s disease
• Effects of preterm birth on swallowing and respiration

Science Center, 206: 856-566-6433 
gouldf@rowan.edu

Hristo Houbaviy, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

• Functions of microRNA and other related short RNAs in embryonic stem cells during early embryogenesis in the mouse

UEC Building, Office 1107: 856-566-6847
houbavhr@rowan.edu

Archana Kumari, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

• Defining gene expression and regulation in tongue epithelium.
• To illustrate mechanisms that underlie taste disruptions in patients receiving Hedgehog pathway inhibitor drugs​.
• Identification of signaling alterations that causes pharmaceutical drug-induced taste disturbances

kumari@rowan.edu
 

Paola Leone, Ph.D., Professor

• Pathophysiology of Canavan Disease and Metachromatic leukodystrophy
• Gene therapy of neurodegenerative diseases

Science Center, 250: 856-566-6334
leaonepa@rowan.edu

Jessica A. Loweth, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

• Effects of chronic stress exposure on relapse vulnerability in an animal model of craving and relapse
• Identifying neuroadaptations that promote resilience and reduce vulnerability to stress- and cue-induced craving and relapse

Science Center, 290A: 856-566-7130
loweth@rowan.edu

Daniel Manvich, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

• Behavioral pharmacology of psychostimulants, opioids, and other drugs of abuse.
• Neurobiological mechanisms underlying stress-induced relapse to drug use.

Science Center, 204A: 856-566-6424
manvich@rowan.edu 

Dmitriy Markov, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

• Factors that regulation yeast mitochondrial transcription in response to stress.
• Mitochondrial metabolism and migration in neural tissue.
• Regulation of catecholamine storage in response to neurostimulants.

Science Center, 203B: 856-566-6915
markovdm@rowan.edu

Sean Michael McBride, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor

• Molecular Mechanisms and Circuitry of Memory.
• Drug Discovery for the treatment of cognitive disorders and autism spectrum disorders.
• Animal models of genetic disorders associated with intellectual disability and autism  
• Neurodegenerative Disorders including Alzheimer’s Disease and tauopathies.
   

Science Center, 211A: 856-566-6847
mcbrides2@rowan.edu

Rachel Navarra, Ph.D., Assistant Professor     

• Effects of catecholamine neurotransmission on electrophysiological indices of sensory signal processing.
• Effects of performance enhancing drugs on behavior in preclinical rodent models of cognition and complex decision-making.
• The impact of repetitive mild traumatic brain injuries on dimensions of executive function and potential therapeutic strategies. 

Science Center, 226: 856-566-6829
navarra@rowan.edu

Dimitri Pestov, Ph.D., Associate Professor

• Ribosomal RNA processing and ribosome assembly
• Role of ribosome biogenesis alterations in cancer
• Oxidative stress-induced ribosome damage

Science Center, 104B: 856-566-6904
pestovdg@rowan.edu

Deborah Podolin, Ph.D., Associate Professor & Vice Chair of Education

• Course Director of Medical Physiology.
• Teaches Endocrine Pharmacology.
• Lecturer in the Graduate School in Exercise Physiology, Pharmacology and Fundamentals of Systems Biology.

Rowan Medicine Building, Suite 2200A: 856-566-6361
podolide@rowan.edu

Benjamin Rood, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

• Behavioral Neurobiology
• Monoamine Transmitter Systems
• Stress & Anxiety

Science Center, 206A: 856-566-6918
rood@rowan.edu 

Natalia Shcherbik, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

• Investigation of ribosome surveillance pathways and ribosome degradation mechanisms
• Dissection of co-translational and post-translational protein quality control mechanisms
• Investigation of cap-independent translation initiation controlled by 5'-UTRs (untranslated regions) 

Science Center, 145A: 856-566-6914
shcherna@rowan.edu

Bernd W. Spur, Ph.D., Associate Professor

• Synthesis and biological activities of lipid mediators of inflammation: Isoprostanes, Neuroprostanes, Phytoprostanes, Leukotrienes and Prostaglandins
• Synthesis of lipid mediators of resolution: Lipoxins, Resolvins, Neuroprotectins and Maresins
• Clinical studies in areas of inflammation including Autism, Asthma and Alzheimer's disease.

Science Center, 102A: 856-566-7016
spurbw@rowan.edu

Venkat Venkataraman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

• Cell communication – how cells receive signals and decipher them to respond in an appropriate fashion
• Communication in neuronal cells – both central and peripheral

Science Center, 205: 856-566-6418
venkatar@rowan.edu

Elizabeth West, Ph.D., Assistant Professor     

• Identifying the neurobiological mechanisms mediating decision-making related to natural and drug rewards
• Characterizing the effects of disease-states, including a history of drugs of abuse or chronic stress, on neural circuitry mediating decision-making

Science Center, 210: 856-566-6051
westniedringhaus@rowan.edu 

James White, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

Rowan Medicine Building, Suite 2200: 856-566-6231

Kingsley Yin, Ph.D., Associate Professor

• Inflammation resolution in sepsis.
• Beneficial effects of Lipoxin A4 in resolving inflammation during sepsis. 

Science Center, 203B: 856-566-6978        
yinki@rowan.edu

James M. Holaska, Ph. D., Associate Professor

• Molecular mechanisms underlying how the nuclear envelope regulates some of these fundamental cellular processes, including genomic architecture, RNA transcription and cell signaling.

CMSRU - MEB 534
holaska@rowan.edu