Molecular Neuroscience   The cells of the nervous system express a large number of distinctive   genes whose protein products define the function of these cells. Molecular   studies focus on understanding the structure and regulation of these   genes and determining the roles that these genes play in the function of   individual cells and networks in the developing, mature and diseased   nervous system. We are engaged in studies of ion channels,   neurotransmitters and their receptors, cell-cell recognition molecules and   trophic factors, both at the genetic and protein level. Many of our   investigators utilize modern viral vector and transgenic technologies to   introduce cloned genes into the nervous system to gain insight into the   role that the encoded proteins play in the normal and diseased nervous   system.