Department: BTSI Leadership

One of the major challenges in neurobiology is understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying development of the vertebrate central nervous system (CNS). Research in our laboratory seeks to elucidate these mechanisms by studying development of the vertebrate forebrain and visual system. We study these systems by taking advantage of mutations that affect development of the brain and eye in humans, mice, and zebrafish. Because genetic approaches do not rely on previous assumptions, details about the mechanisms mediating development of the visual system and forebrain can be uncovered that might not be identifiable using other means.

Adriana is a client-focused professional with six years of experience optimizing administrative processes for BTSI and Neuroscience. She facilitates student services (from recruitment to matriculation), event coordination, and general operations. She is also currently assisting in the management of a 1.29-million-dollar NIH training program for underrepresented undergraduate students in STEM.

Carrie has worked in student services for 14 years. She received her degree from the University of Georgia and loves the role of facilitating student programs. She probably doesn’t know the answer to your question. But she’s got a spreadsheet somewhere that she can figure it out from.

Dr. Schank has served as the Graduate Coordinator of the Neuroscience PhD Program since 2022. He also serves as the primary instructor for VPHY 8020: Neuroanatomy, which is a core course for the Neuroscience degree. In his lab, Dr. Schank researches the role of stress and neuropeptides in alcohol seeking behavior, with a specific focus on the role of the neurokinin-1 receptor in the extended amygdala stress circuitry.

Dr. Jon P. Mochel is the Director of the One Health Program at the Biomedical and Translational Sciences Institute and the Founding Director of the Precision One Health Initiative at the University of Georgia. He is a Professor of Systems Pharmacology, specializing in comparative medicine with a focus on translational models across species. Board-certified in Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, Dr. Mochel integrates pharmacology, toxicology, and mathematical modeling to study therapeutic effects in complex biological systems. He is internationally recognized for his research leadership, having authored over 160 peer-reviewed publications and securing more than $17 million as PI or Co-I in funding to advance One Health science. As of 2024, Dr. Mochel is recognized as one of the “World’s Top 2%” scientists on Stanford University’s list.