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Detailed Information

Programs of Study

The Department offers course work and research programs leading to M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in physiology and neurobiology with concentration in areas of neurobiology, endocrinology, and comparative physiology. In addition, the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and the Biotechnology Center provide the opportunity for students to obtain a comprehensive background in biological sciences and offer the possibility of collaborative research.

Graduate programs are designed to fit the individual student’s background and scientific interests. In the first year, students take two courses on the foundations of physiology and neurobiology. Through the first two years, and occasionally into the third year of training, students select from a number of additional seminars and courses in their area of major interest and related areas. By the end of the first year, the student selects the area of dissertation research, and a committee consisting of a major adviser and 2 associate advisers is formed. Students may begin dissertation research during the first year.

Research Facilities

The Department of Physiology and Neurobiology is located primarily in the new state-of-the-art Pharmacy/Biology Building. The Department houses both shared and individual laboratories for behavioral, cellular, electrophysiological, and molecular research in physiology. The Department also houses the University’s electron microscopy facility, which contains equipment for scanning and transmission EM as well as electron probe analysis. Departmental faculty members also utilize the Marine Research Laboratories at Noank and Avery Point, Connecticut.

Financial Aid

Several types of financial support are available to graduate students. Most students are supported either on teaching assistantships or research assistantships from faculty grants. In 2009–10, full-time assistantships (nine months) pay $19,099 for beginning graduate students, $20,096 for those with an M.S. or the equivalent, and $22,343 for those who have passed the Ph.D. general examination. Both half and full graduate assistantships come with a tuition waiver, and students may purchase excellent health-care coverage, heavily subsidized by the University of Connecticut. In addition, the Graduate School provides the Outstanding Scholar Award to as many as 10 incoming Ph.D. candidates during the first year of study. Several additional research fellowships and University fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis. Many labs also provide additional funding for summer research (up to $4000).

Cost of Study

In 2009–10, tuition is $4725 per semester for legal residents of Connecticut and $12,267 per semester for nonresidents, plus fees. Tuition is waived for graduate assistants; however, they pay the full-time University fee of $888. Tuition is prorated for students registering for fewer than 9 credits per semester. University fees are subject to change without notice.

Living and Housing Costs

Dormitory rooms are available for unmarried graduate students. University-owned and privately owned apartments are available near the campus at moderate rents. Houses and apartments for rent may also be found in the surrounding communities. In 2009–10, the fee for accommodations in graduate residence halls range upward from $3800 per semester; meal plans are separate. Yearly expenses, including books and travel, for a single student living off campus are upward from $18,000.

Student Group

Approximately 16,000 undergraduates and 7,800 graduate students are enrolled at the main campus at Storrs. Seventy-six percent of the undergraduate students and 72 percent of the graduate students are from Connecticut. The rest of the students come from many other states and more than 100 countries. The Department of Physiology and Neurobiology has about 40 graduate students.

Location

The University is located in a scenic countryside setting of small villages, streams, and rolling hills. There is easy access by car and bus to major urban and cultural centers, including Hartford, New Haven, Boston, and New York, and to other educational institutions, such as Yale, Harvard, and MIT. Recreational opportunities include skiing, fishing, sailing, hiking, ice-skating, and athletic events. Cultural opportunities available at the Storrs campus include film series, plays, symphony and chamber music series, public lectures, and art exhibits. A small shopping center is within walking distance of the campus, and several large shopping centers are nearby.

The University

Ranked the top public university in New England for the past eight years, the University of Connecticut stands among the top public institutions in the nation. The University was founded in 1881 and is a state-supported institution. The 1,800-acre main campus at Storrs is the site of vigorous undergraduate and graduate programs in agriculture, liberal arts and sciences, fine arts, engineering, education, business administration, human development and family relations, physical education, pharmacy, nursing, and physical therapy. Extensive cultural and recreational programs and athletic facilities are available.

Applying

For admission to the fall semester, it is suggested that applications be submitted by January 15. To be considered for financial support, students must submit applications by March 15 for admission the following September. U.S. applicants must submit scores on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examinations and must have maintained at least a 3.0 quality point ratio (QPR) for admission as graduate students with regular status. Applications and credentials from international students must be received by March 1 for admission in the fall semester or by October 1 for the spring semester and must include TOEFL scores. The University does not discriminate in admission on the basis of race, gender, age, or national origin. Students can apply online at http://www.grad.uconn.edu/applications.html.

The Faculty and Their Research

• Lawrence E. Armstrong, Professor (primary appointment in Kinesiology); Ph.D., Ball State. Research focuses on human physiological responses to exercise, dietary intervention (i.e., caffeine, low-salt diet, glucose-electrolyte solutions, amino acid supplementation), pharmacological agents, heat tolerance, and acclimatization to heat. Laboratory measurements of local sweat production; skin blood flow; and metabolic, ventilatory, cardiovascular, fluid-electrolyte, and strength perturbations are complemented by field observations. This research includes illnesses that arise in association with exercise in hot environments.
• Ben A. Bahr, Associate Professor (primary appointment in Pharmaceutical Sciences); Ph.D., California, Santa Barbara. Drug discovery and mechanisms of neuroprotection in models of Alzheimer-type pathogenesis, stroke-related excitotoxicity, and neurotoxin exposure.
• Marie E. Cantino, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Washington (Seattle). Research in this laboratory is directed toward understanding the mechanisms of contraction in striated muscle. In particular, the lab is using electron microscopy and biochemical and mechanical assays to study the structure and organization of proteins in the contractile filaments and the mechanisms by which calcium regulates the interactions of these proteins.
• William D. Chapple, Professor; Ph.D., Stanford. The interests of the laboratory center on the cellular mechanisms by which arthropods generate and control movement despite varying external forces. The model system is the hermit crab abdomen, which is used to support the animal’s shell. To understand the interactions between local and global mechanisms that produce this control, identified motoneurons and interneurons are studied electrophysiologically and their properties are incorporated into a control systems model.
• Thomas T. Chen, Professor (primary appointment in Molecular and Cell Biology); Ph.D., Alberta; postdoctoral study at Queen’s. Structure, evolution, regulation, and molecular actions of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor genes; regulation of foreign genes in transgenic fish; development of model transgenic fish.
• Joanne Conover, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Bath (England). Research in the laboratory focuses on neurogenesis and neuronal migration in the adult mouse brain. A combination of techniques including cell culture of neural stem cells, RT-PCR-based gene expression analysis, and examination of mouse genetic models for neurodegenerative diseases aid us in understanding neuronal proliferation, differentiation, and migration in the adult brain.
• Joseph F. Crivello, Professor (joint appointment in Marine Sciences); Ph.D., Wisconsin. Research is centered in two areas. One area examines the impact of pollution on marine organisms at a biochemical and genetic level. The other area examines pollution as a selective pressure altering the genetic diversity of marine organisms.
• Angel L. de Blas, Professor; Ph.D., Indiana. Research mainly focuses on the brain receptors for the inhibitory transmitter GABA. Studies are being conducted on elucidating the molecular structure of the receptors and the molecular interactions with other proteins that determine the synaptic localization of the GABA receptors. Effects of drugs and aging on GABAergic synaptic transmission are also studied. Techniques include recombinant DNA, monoclonal antibodies, cell culture, and light, electron, and laser confocal microscopy.
• Robert V. Gallo, Professor; Ph.D., Purdue. The objective of the research program is to understand the neuroendocrine mechanisms regulating luteinizing hormone release during different physiological conditions. In particular, the research examines the involvement of CNS neurotransmitters and endogenous opioid peptides in this process.
• William J. Kraemer, Professor (primary appointment in Kinesiology); Ph.D., Wyoming. Research focus is directed at the neuroendocrine responses and adaptations with exercise as it relates to target tissues of muscle, bone, and immune cells. Current studies utilize receptor techniques and hormonal immunoassays and bioassays to better understand androgen, adrenal, and pituitary hormone interactions with target cells and their relationship to outcome variables of physiological function and physical performance.
• Joseph J. LoTurco, Professor; Ph.D., Stanford. Research in the laboratory focuses on understanding mechanisms that direct development of the neocortex. Currently, a combination of molecular genetics, patch clamp electrophysiology, and cell culture are being used to study the mechanisms that regulate neurogenesis in the cerebral cortex.
• Carl M. Maresh, Professor and Director, Human Performance Laboratory (primary appointment in Kinesiology, Department Head); Ph.D., Wyoming. Research focus is directed at the neuroendocrine, body fluid, and substrate responses and adaptations to environmental stress and training in humans. Current projects examine the efficacy of different methods of rehydration, muscle and bone adaptations to physical training in women, and exercise interventions in children at risk for obesity and diabetes.
• Andrew Moiseff, Professor; Ph.D., Cornell. The laboratory is interested in the extraction and processing of sensory information by the nervous system. At present, research is concentrated on how the nervous system of the barn owl analyzes interaural time and intensity differences to obtain spatial information. Another line of research is the behavioral analysis of synchronous flashing by fireflies with an aim toward the understanding of the neural mechanisms controlling this communication behavior.
• Daniel K. Mulkey, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Wright State. Research focuses on the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which the brain controls breathing, in particular, understanding the molecular mechanism by which respiratory chemoreceptors sense changes in pH to drive breathing and the cellular mechanisms that modulate activity of these cells. Another interest is the role of nitric oxide on state-dependent modulation of respiratory motor neurons for a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying respiratory control, leading to new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of disorders such as sudden infant death syndrome and sleep apnea. Techniques include cellular electrophysiology in brain slices, cell culture, and single-cell RT-PCR.
• Akiko Nishiyama, Associate Professor; M.D., Nippon Medical School; Ph.D., Niigata (Japan). Research focuses on the biology of glial progenitor cells identified by the NG2 proteoglycan in normal and mutant mice and in demyelinating and excitotoxic lesions. Current studies employ immunohistochemical, tissue culture, biochemical, and molecular biological techniques to understand the mechanisms that regulate proliferation and differentiation of these glial cells and to explore their function.
• Linda S. Pescatello, Associate Professor and Director, Center for Health Promotion (primary appointment in School of Allied Health); Ph.D., Connecticut. Research focus is on the interaction between the environment, neurohormones, and genetics on the exercise response in order to determine for whom exercise works best as a therapeutic modality. Current projects examine humoral, nutritional, and genetic explanations for postexercise hypotension, the exercise dose response for postexercise hypotension, and the influence of genetics on the muscle strength and hypertrophy response to resistance exercise training.
• J. Larry Renfro, Professor and Department Head; Ph.D., Oklahoma. The research program is concerned with the mechanisms and regulation of epithelial transport. Current research deals with transepithelial transport and excretion of sulfate, and phosphate and environmental pollutants in tissues isolated from the urinary systems of a variety of vertebrates, including rats, birds, and fishes. Work has concentrated on ion secretion and its regulation in primary monolayer cultures of renal epithelium and choroid plexus. The laboratory also studies transport by renal tubule brush border and basolateral membrane vesicles.
• Maria E. Rubio, Associate Professor; M.D., Ph.D., Alicante (Spain). Research focuses on understanding what modulates the expression and distribution of excitatory neurotransmitter receptors during development, adults and synaptic plastic events in the brain. Techniques include immunocytochemistry at light and electron microscopy level, morphometry, pharmacological, and surgical procedures in vivo and brain slices.
• Anastasios Tzingounis, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Oregon Health & Science. Research in the laboratory concentrates on the cellular and molecular mechanisms that control neuronal excitability in the mammalian brain. To study the molecules and signaling networks that tune the brain’s innate ability to prevent epilepsy, a multidisciplinary approach is used that combines molecular and genetic techniques with optical imaging and electrophysiology.
• Randall S. Walikonis, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Mayo. Research is directed at studying the postsynaptic signal transduction systems of excitatory synapses. The laboratory uses biochemical and molecular biological techniques to identify proteins associated with NMDA receptors and to determine their specific roles in the function of excitatory synapses. The lab also studies the role of growth factors in modifying excitatory synapses.
• Steven A. Zinn, Associate Professor (primary appointment in Animal Science); Ph.D., Michigan State. The laboratory is interested in the somatotropic axis and its influence on growth and lactation. Specifically, the laboratory is investigating the influence of exogenous somatotropin on insulin-like growth factor I and the insulin-like growth factor binding proteins and their role in growth.
• Adam Zweifach, Professor (primary appointment in Molecular and Cell Biology); Ph.D., Yale. Signal transduction in immune cells.

Correspondence and Information

Box U-3156
University of Connecticut
Department of Physiology and Neurobiology
Graduate Admissions Committee
Storrs, Connecticut 06269-3156
Telephone: 860-486-3304
Fax: 860-486-3303
Email: kathleen.kelleher@uconn.edu