Research


Research Programs

The multidisciplinary Graduate Program in Neurosciences at the University of Kansas offers students broadly based training in neuroscience and advanced training in their specialized research area.

The program is a collaborative effort of faculty members from disciplines such as Anatomy and Cell Biology, Human Development, Medicinal Chemistry, Molecular and Integrative Physiology, Molecular Biosciences, Occupational Therapy, Otolaryngology, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Experimental Therapeutics, Psychology, and Speech, Language, and Hearing.

In addition, many of the scientists and faculty in this program are members of two major University research centers, the Life Span Studies Institute (LSI), which includes the Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, and the Higuchi Biosciences Center(HBC). In addition, some of the faculty are members of the Stowers Institute, a major research institute in developmental, molecular and cell biology.

Life Span Studies Institute

The Life Span Studies Institute (LSI) focuses on interdisciplinary research in behavioral sciences with special emphasis on behavioral biology, behavioral genetics, behavioral pharmacology, cognitive neurosciences, neurophysiology, neuropharmacology, neurotoxicology, speech and language development, and hearing sciences. Participating faculty members study potential behavioral and pharmacologic interventions for developmental disabilities, drug-induced behavioral anomalies such as dyskinesias, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying self-injurious behavior, and many others.

Higuchi Biosciences Center

Higuchi Biosciences Center (HBC) focuses on interdisciplinary research in the biomedical sciences with special emphasis on molecular and cellular neurobiology, neurogenetics, biological bases of addictions, neuropharmacology and neurotoxicology, neuroimmunology, and developmental neurobiology.

These well-established opportunities for interdisciplinary research training in the behavioral, biological, chemical, and pharmaceutical aspects of the neurosciences provide great breadth in an array of disciplines that students may draw upon in designing their areas of focus to fit their career plans.


Research Facilities

State-of-the-art facilities in all participating departments and research centers offer a wide range of modern research instrumentation and numerous research support services. Major Research Facilities include tissue culture and monoclonal antibody facilities, transgenic and gene knockout animal facilities, genomics and bioinformatics laboratories, flow cytometery facility, confocal and electron microscopy laboratories, nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometery facilities, bio-behavioral measurements facilities, DNA and protein sequencing and synthesis facilities, high throughput drug screening laboratory, and X-ray crystallography and molecular graphics facilities. Links to many of the major centralized research facilities are given below. Individual lab groups have more specialized equipment.

Major Research Laboratory Facilities: