There are 2 major foci of my research, both centered on the interaction between genetics and the nervous system. The first major focus is centered on examining the relationship between genetics and several ethanol-related phenotypes in both the developing embryo and the adult animal. This research uses both strategies that attempt to identify the critical genes in mediating a phenotype as well as the opposite strategy of determining the role of a specific gene in a phenotype using mutant mice. Both behavioral and anatomic phenotypes (e.g. cell death markers) are examined. The second major focus is examining how specific genes impact the development of various neuronal populations. In this approach the effect of a mutated gene, either in naturally-occurring or induced mutations, on the morphology of a specific structure or cell type is examined.

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