Neurobiology & Anatomy Department at DUCOM
Biomedical Graduate Studies at DUCOM
Melanie (Alexander) Starr, Ph.D.
2003-2007
Thesis: Impact of MDMA (Ecstasy) on serotonin release and sensory information processing in vibrissa-related regions of the rat thalamus.
Greg Smith, MMS student
2005-2006
Thesis: Actions of chronic methylphenidate on rodent perfromance in a sustained attention task.
Eric Wagner, MMS
2005
Thesis: Plasma levels of MDA and MDMA (Ecstasy) after acute MDMA administration in rat.
Joshua Danley, MMS
2004-2005
Thesis: Actions of acute methylphenidate on rodent performence in a sustained attention task.
Dorothy Wang, MMS
2004-2005
Thesis: Effects of methylphenidate on signal processing in the trigeminal somatosensory thalamo-cortical circuits of the anesthetized rat.
David Devilbiss, Ph.D.
1996-2002
Thesis: The impact of the locus coeruleus efferent pathway on thalamic and cortical sensory neuron response properties in the awake rat.
Current position: Research Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Michael Kirifides, BS, MS, Ph.D.
1990-1999
Thesis: The anatomical and neurochemical organization of rat dorsal raphe nucleus with respect to the trigeminal somatosensory pathway.
Current position: Assistant Professor, Health Sciences Program, College of Nursing and Health Professions at Drexel University.
Kimberly Simpson, Ph.D.
1992-1998
Thesis: The anatomical and neurochemical organization of rat locus coeruleus with respect to galanin and the ascending trigeminal somatosensory pathway.
Current position: Assistant Professor of Anatomy, University of Mississippi Medical Center.
2003-2007
Thesis: Impact of MDMA (Ecstasy) on serotonin release and sensory information processing in vibrissa-related regions of the rat thalamus.
Greg Smith, MMS student
2005-2006
Thesis: Actions of chronic methylphenidate on rodent perfromance in a sustained attention task.
Eric Wagner, MMS
2005
Thesis: Plasma levels of MDA and MDMA (Ecstasy) after acute MDMA administration in rat.
Joshua Danley, MMS
2004-2005
Thesis: Actions of acute methylphenidate on rodent performence in a sustained attention task.
Dorothy Wang, MMS
2004-2005
Thesis: Effects of methylphenidate on signal processing in the trigeminal somatosensory thalamo-cortical circuits of the anesthetized rat.
David Devilbiss, Ph.D.
1996-2002
Thesis: The impact of the locus coeruleus efferent pathway on thalamic and cortical sensory neuron response properties in the awake rat.
Current position: Research Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Michael Kirifides, BS, MS, Ph.D.
1990-1999
Thesis: The anatomical and neurochemical organization of rat dorsal raphe nucleus with respect to the trigeminal somatosensory pathway.
Current position: Assistant Professor, Health Sciences Program, College of Nursing and Health Professions at Drexel University.
Kimberly Simpson, Ph.D.
1992-1998
Thesis: The anatomical and neurochemical organization of rat locus coeruleus with respect to galanin and the ascending trigeminal somatosensory pathway.
Current position: Assistant Professor of Anatomy, University of Mississippi Medical Center.
Former Masters and Doctoral Students
Former Postdoctoral Fellows
Carlos Meijas-Aponte, Ph.D.
2006-2007
Project: Norepinephrine, dopamine neurons and cocaine relapse
Current psoition: Research fellow, NIDA Intramural Program, Baltimore, MD
Candice Drouin, Ph.D.
2001-2005
Project: Cocaine actions in sensory cortex.
Chukwuma Okere, Ph.D.
2000-2006
Project: Stress-related activation of the dorsal raphe nucleus.
Current position: Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA.
Loretta Walker-Williams, Ph.D.
2000-2003
Project: Methylphenidate actions in sensory thalamocortical circuits.
Current Position: Drexel Pathway to Medical School Director, Drexel University College of Medicine
John Rutter, Ph.D.
1994-1998
Project: Cocaine modulation of sensory thalamocortical circuit function.
Judith McLean, Ph.D.
1989-1991
Project: Norepinephrine effects on receptive field properties of cat striate cortical neurons.
Carlos A. Jimenez-Rivera, Ph.D.
1986-1989
Project: Electrophysiological actions of cocaine in central noradrenergic circuits.
Current position: Associate Professor, University of Puerto Rico, Physiology Department
Francis M. Sessler, Ph.D.
1985-1989
Project: Second messenger mechanisms underlying noradrenergic modulation of GABAergic synaptic transmission.
Current position: Associate Professor, Dept. of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
2006-2007
Project: Norepinephrine, dopamine neurons and cocaine relapse
Current psoition: Research fellow, NIDA Intramural Program, Baltimore, MD
Candice Drouin, Ph.D.
2001-2005
Project: Cocaine actions in sensory cortex.
Chukwuma Okere, Ph.D.
2000-2006
Project: Stress-related activation of the dorsal raphe nucleus.
Current position: Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA.
Loretta Walker-Williams, Ph.D.
2000-2003
Project: Methylphenidate actions in sensory thalamocortical circuits.
Current Position: Drexel Pathway to Medical School Director, Drexel University College of Medicine
John Rutter, Ph.D.
1994-1998
Project: Cocaine modulation of sensory thalamocortical circuit function.
Judith McLean, Ph.D.
1989-1991
Project: Norepinephrine effects on receptive field properties of cat striate cortical neurons.
Carlos A. Jimenez-Rivera, Ph.D.
1986-1989
Project: Electrophysiological actions of cocaine in central noradrenergic circuits.
Current position: Associate Professor, University of Puerto Rico, Physiology Department
Francis M. Sessler, Ph.D.
1985-1989
Project: Second messenger mechanisms underlying noradrenergic modulation of GABAergic synaptic transmission.
Current position: Associate Professor, Dept. of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA