• Rank: Assistant Professor (not an assistant to the professor!)
   • Program: General Experimental
   • Area: Developmental Psychobiology/Behavioral Neuroscience
   • Specialization: Rodent Models of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

   • Office: Rawl 209
   • Phone: 252.328.6445
   • Fax: 252.328.6283
   • Email: trant@ecu.edu

   • Current lab members: Chris Richardson, Lindsey Craft, Danielle Bryan

   • Do you have at least a 3.0 GPA and have what it takes to do behavioral neuroscience research?  If so, then contact me.

My research involves studying fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs), which include fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and other fetal alcohol-related congenital disorders, using rodents. Rodents are used to help explain the phenomenology, teratology, and pathology seen in human cases of FASDs.  Currently, I am examining whether early alcohol exposure in rodents leads to learning deficits as measured by eyeblink classical conditioning, the most well-studied form of associative learning in mammalian neuroscience. To determine whether the early alcohol insult also results in brain dysfunction that correlates with the behavioral deficits, I use a variety histological, histochemical, and morphometric techniques. It is hoped that answers about alcohol's impact on brain-behavior relationships can be better understood.  Current research questions include:

• What is the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on cerebellar-based forms of learning (i.e., eyeblink conditioning) and neuroanatomy?

• Are there other targets of early alcohol exposure that contribute to the behavioral and neuroanatomical deficits? For example, is the hippocampus vulnerable and what role does this structure play in eyeblink conditioning?

• Can the developmental alcohol-induced behavioral or neuroanatomical deficits be spared by micronutrient therapy, behavioral therapy, or a combination of both during development?

• What is neuroscience?

Neuroscience is the study of the brain and nervous system. The word “neuroscience” is relatively new, however, the study of the brain is almost as old as man himself. Historically, scientists devoted themselves to an understanding of the nervous system utilizing techniques from within a discipline such as medicine, biology, psychology, physics, chemistry, and mathematics. Currently, a better understanding of how the brain interacts with behavior is achieved through an interdisciplinary approach. It is with this aim that the field of Neuroscience was synthesized.  Today, neuroscience is an extremely large discipline that encompasses a wide range of scientific interests. However, all neuroscientists are interested in the brain and how the brain works. A neuroscientist may be interested in such questions as: What cellular processes enable neurons to communicate with each other? How do spinal cord axons regenerate? What are the molecular events that contribute to cell death (apoptosis)?

Today, neuroscience is an extremely large discipline that encompasses a wide range of scientific interests. However, all neuroscientists are interested in the brain and how the brain works. A neuroscientist may be interested in such questions as: What cellular processes enable neurons to communicate with each other? How do spinal cord axons regenerate? What are the molecular events that contribute to cell death (apoptosis)?

• Can I earn a degree in neuroscience?

Yes! ECU offers a degree in the Multidisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, either as a B.A. or B.S. You need to have at least a 3.0 GPA to be considered for majoring in the program. For more information about the program, click on the link above or contact Dr. Everhart or Dr. Tran (new Director beginning Fall, 2007).

• Is the neuroscience concentration hard?

YES. The fact is that the neuroscience concentration is among the most demanding undergraduate programs offered. There is a significant degree of overlap between the requirements for the neuroscience concentration and the courses that comprise most pre-medical programs. It is very likely that no matter how capable a student you may be, you will be challenged at some point in the curriculum. Before you decide to tackle the neuroscience concentration you should discuss your plans with your undergraduate advisor and/or the Director of the Multidisciplinary Program Neuroscience.

Once you get a degree, you may find a job at a university, in government, or in industry. Universities and government agencies typically require that you have an advanced degree (e.g., M.A./M.S. or more preferably, a Ph.D.). In industry, the degree requirements vary, but it is safe to say that you gain more command of your salary (and knowledge) with an advanced degree.

Here are some examples of careers in neuroscience:

University or Government
* Professor and/or research scientist (e.g., teach and/or direct your own lab)
* Research scientist in a government agency (e.g., EPA, NIH)

Industry
* Smart Computing (e.g., apply Artificial Intelligence to products)
* Researcher for a biotechnology company
* Researcher for a pharmaceutical company
* Research Consultant

B.S.: Regis University, Denver, CO [1993]
M.A.: University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC [1996]
Ph.D.: University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC [1999]
Postdoctoral Work: Post-Doc and Research Associate, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis [1999-2005]
for Dr. Charles R. Goodlett

* Society for Neuroscience
* Research Society on Alcoholism