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Research Interests

General interests: Learning and memory, brain plasticity, and pharmacology.

Specific interests: Spatial learning and navigation, effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on learning and synaptic plasticity.

I utilize basic behavioral, pharmacological, physiological, and computational methods to investigate the psychological and neurobiological foundations of learning, memory, and behavior. My work includes investigations in humans and rats with an emphasis on spatial (place) learning/navigation and nonspatial associative learning. Recent work in our laboratory has been aimed at better understanding the basic behavioral processes involved in spatial navigation, and investigating the neural processes involved in various aspects of spatial navigation. Two additional major components of my current research efforts are 1) developing biologically plausible computational models of processes involved in spatial and nonspatial associative learning and 2) investigating the effects of chronic drug exposure on learning, memory, behavior, and brain plasticity.

Graduate Students in the Laboratory

Current Students

Travis E. Johnson, M.S. 2005-present.
Major Project : The role of rat prefrontal cortex in behavioral flexibility.

Felicha T. Candelaria-Cook. 2006-present.
National Science Foundation Predoctoral Fellow, 2007-present.
Major Project: The role of cannabinoid receptors in spatial memory consolidation and reconsolidation.

James P. Rice. 2006-present
Major Project: Effects of hippocampal and dorsolateral caudate lesions on the control of navigation by distal room and proximal cues.

Former Students

Katherine G. Akers, Ph.D. 2006-2008.
Major Project : Retrograde effects of hippocampal LTP on spatial memory consolidation and reconsolidation.