UCONN HEALTH
Neuroscience Department
Exploring Minds, Illuminating Futures
Neurobiology of Disease Research
Basic Neuroscience Research
Welcome From The Chair
Riqiang Yan, PhD
The Department of Neuroscience has a rich history of research excellence since it had been formally established by Dr. Richard Mains in the year 2000. Currently, we have 26 faculty members, who are actively funded their research from various sources including the federal grants and philanthropic support. Our faculty and their laboratories utilize an interdisciplinary approach to research with the goal of understanding the normal function and disorders of the nervous system that may hold the key to developing novel therapies. We nurture an exceptionally collegial academic environment with high level of interaction and collaboration among laboratories in the Department and with other laboratories at UConn Health Center and at the UConn Storrs campus, all of which make the Department of Neuroscience a vibrant and dynamic place to do science.
Upcoming Events
-
Oct
22
Neuroscience Journal Club - Wilensky 12:00pm
Neuroscience Journal Club - Wilensky
Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025
12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
E4036
MEDS 6497 Neuroscience Journal Club
“N-acetylneuraminic acid links immune exhaustion and accelerated memory deficit in diet-induced obese Alzheimer’s disease mouse model.”
Presenter: Sarah Wilensky, Yan Lab
Course Co-Directors: Paola Bargagna-Mohan: bargagna-mohan@uchc.edu
Alice Burghard: burghard@uchc.edu -
Oct
23
Neuroscience Seminar Series Tim Czopka, Ph.D. hybrid 11:00am
Neuroscience Seminar Series Tim Czopka, Ph.D. hybrid
Thursday, October 23rd, 2025
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Low Learning Center (UConn Health)
Sponsored by the Kim Family
“How form and function of neural circuits is shaped by oligodendrocyte precursor cells”
Presenter:
Professor of Glial Cell Biology
Institute for Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research
The University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh, UKWebex link: https://uchc.webex.com/meet/UconnHealthResearch
Meeting Number: 802 359 456
-
Oct
29
Neuroscience Journal Club - Bhattacharya 12:00pm
Neuroscience Journal Club - Bhattacharya
Wednesday, October 29th, 2025
12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
E4036
MEDS 6497 Neuroscience Journal Club
“Human iPSC-derived microglial cells protect neurons from neurodegeneration in long-term cultured adhesion brain organoids.”
Presenter: Moumita Bhattacharya, Yan Lab
Course Co-Directors: Paola Bargagna-Mohan: bargagna-mohan@uchc.edu
Alice Burghard: burghard@uchc.edu -
Oct
30
Neuroscience Seminar Series - Ki-Jun Yoon, Ph.D. 11:00am
Neuroscience Seminar Series - Ki-Jun Yoon, Ph.D.
Thursday, October 30th, 2025
11:00 AM
Low Learning Center (UConn Health)
Sponsored by the Kim Family
“Dissecting Human Neurodevelopment and Disease Mechanisms through Stem Cell Models”
Ki-Jun Yoon, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Program Resources
Helpful contacts and series of milestones as you progress toward obtaining a Doctor of Philosophy degree from UConn Health.
ExplorePhD in Biomedical Science
Our graduate students receive comprehensive interdisciplinary training in all areas of neuroscience and perform translational research at the highest level.
ExploreStudy Abroad Program
Held in Salamanca, Spain, this course is for graduate students in Neuroscience and Hearing Research and upper-level undergraduate students.
ExploreDepartment and Program News
- NIH CounterACT program R01 grant awarded to the Mohan labThe NIH has awarded Royce Mohan, who is a professor of neuroscience at UConn Health, a new R01 grant to study the mechanisms of corneal damage and sensory loss caused by exposure to chemical threat agents. His research team, jointly led by co-investigator Paola Bargagna-Mohan, will advance state-of-the-art methods that combine transgenic and gene knockout […]Posted on October 16, 2025
- BBRF 2025 Grant Supports PTSD Memory Research at UConn HealthDr. Sebnem Tuncdemir of UConn Health has been awarded a 2025 Young Investigator Grant from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation to explore how the brain forms and recalls traumatic memories. Her team studies how specific hippocampal cell types may drive PTSD-related memory problems—insights that could lead to innovative therapies for trauma and anxiety disorders. […]Posted on October 6, 2025
- First Year Teaching Award to Dr. AnticMs. Suzanne Tate, Director of Curricular Affairs, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, UConn Health, has communicated the following information. “On 05-SEP-2025, Dr. Antic was recognized by the Class of 2028 for excellence in teaching”. The award ceremony was accompanied by video clips made by students. Below, two video frames showing students discussing their experience […]Posted on September 17, 2025
- Neuroscience Faculty promotionsSeptember first marked a milestone for three of our faculty. Drs. David Martinelli and Ephraim Trakhtenberg received academic tenure and promotion to the rank of Associate Professor, while Dr. Stephen Crocker, who had previously been awarded tenure, was promoted to the rank of full professor. All three faculty, along with the other faculty in the […]Posted on September 4, 2025