Vollum Faculty and Research
Vollum Institute Faculty
![Isabelle Baconguis](/sites/default/files/2019-02/vollum-faculty-IsabelleBaconguis-210x162.jpg)
Isabelle Baconguis, Ph.D.
Assistant Scientist
Research interests
ion channel, sodium channel, structural biology, cryo-EM, electrophysiology, ion selectivity, channel physiology and gating, protein biochemistry
![Peter Barr-Gillespie](/sites/default/files/2024-01/PBG%20faculty%20page.jpg)
Peter Barr-Gillespie, Ph.D.
Chief Research Officer, OHSU
Professor, OHRC
Vollum Joint Appointment
Research interests
hair cells, mechanotransduction, myosin, motors, ion channels, cytoskeleton, pumps and transporters, inner ear, hearing, balance
![Paul Brehm](/sites/default/files/2019-03/vollum-faculty-PaulBrehm-210x162.jpg)
Paul Brehm, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
Research interests
zebrafish genetics, electrophysiology, ion channel function, cellular neuroscience
![James Frank](/sites/default/files/2019-02/vollum-faculty-JamesFrank-210x162.jpg)
James Frank, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Chemical Physiology & Biochemistry
Vollum Joint Appointment
Research interests
chemical biology, lipid, endocannabinoid, neural circuits, optical control
![Marc Freeman](/sites/default/files/2019-03/vollum-faculty-MarcFreeman-210x162.jpg)
Marc Freeman, Ph.D.
Director and Senior Scientist
Research interests
neuronal-glial interactions, neuronal circuitry, neurodegeneration, astrocytes, Drosophila genetics
![Eric Gouaux](/sites/default/files/2019-03/vollum-faculty-EricGouaux-210x162.jpg)
Eric Gouaux, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
Investigator, HHMI
Research interests
chemical synapses and synaptic transmission, glutamate receptors, neurotransmitter transporters, ligand-gated ion channels, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), x-ray crystallography, membrane proteins
![Skyler Jackman](/sites/default/files/2019-03/vollum-faculty-SkylerJackman-210x162.jpg)
Skyler Jackman, Ph.D.
Assistant Scientist
Research interests
neurotransmitter release, short-term synaptic plasticity, neural circuits, presynaptic calcium sensors
![Gail Mandel](/sites/default/files/2019-02/vollum-faculty-GailMandel-210x162.jpg)
Gail Mandel, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
Research interests
neurogenesis, microRNA, transcription, Rett Syndrome, neuronal circuitry, epigenetics, neurodevelopment, neuronal-glial interactions
![Tianyi Mao](/sites/default/files/2019-03/vollum-faculty-TianyiMao-210x162.jpg)
Tianyi Mao, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
Research interests
Circuits underlying sensorimotor integration, basal ganglia circuit analysis, cortical-subcortical interactions, optogenetics, genetically encoded signaling molecule indicators (Ca2+, cAMP/PKA, PKC) two-photon imaging
![Kelly Monk](/sites/default/files/2023-10/Kelly%20210w%20x%20162h%20pix_7076.jpg)
Kelly Monk, Ph.D.
Co-Director and Senior Scientist
Research interests
glial cell biology, neuron-glial interactions, glial-glial interactions, myelination and remyelination, zebrafish
![Swetha Murthy](/sites/default/files/2019-09/vollum-faculty-SwethaMurthy-210x162_0.jpg)
Swetha Murthy, Ph.D.
Assistant Scientist
Research interests
mechanotransduction, ion channels, electrophysiology
![Steve Reichow](/sites/default/files/2023-12/Reichow_Profile_Pic_Faculty%20page3_0.png)
Steve Reichow, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Chemical Physiology & Biochemistry
Vollum Joint Appointment
Research interests
molecular mechanisms driving biology, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), membrane channels, protein aggregation, lens biology
![Arpiar "Arpy" Saunders](/sites/default/files/2020-10/vollum-faculty-ArpiarSaunders-210x162.jpg)
Arpiar "Arpy" Saunders, Ph.D.
Assistant Scientist
Research interests
single-cell genomics, host-virus interactions, neural circuits, comparative neuroscience, synapse biology
![Laurence Trussell](/sites/default/files/2019-03/vollum-faculty-LarryTrussell-210x162.jpg)
Laurence Trussell, Ph.D.
Professor, Oregon Hearing Research Center
Vollum Joint Appointment
Research interests
brainstem circuits that process acoustic signals, synaptic physiology — how cells and synapses preserve information provided by the ear
![Henrique von Gersdorff](/sites/default/files/2019-02/vollum-faculty-HenriquevonGersdorff-210x162.jpg)
Henrique von Gersdorff, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
Research interests
exocytosis and endocytosis of synaptic vesicles, short and long-term plasticity in the retina and brainstem, electrophysiology of auditory pathway
![Gary Westbrook](/sites/default/files/2019-03/vollum-faculty-GaryWestbrook-210x162.jpg)
Gary Westbrook, M.D.
Senior Scientist
Research interests
neurogenesis, hippocampal microcircuits, glutamate receptors, epilepsy, regeneration and repair, synaptic transmission
![John T Williams](/sites/default/files/2019-03/vollum-faculty-JohnTWilliams-210x162.jpg)
John Williams, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
Research interests
opiate desensitization and tolerance, receptor trafficking, dendrodendritic transmission
![Kevin Wright](/sites/default/files/2019-03/vollum-faculty-KevinWright-210x162.jpg)
Kevin Wright, Ph.D.
Scientist
Research interests
sensory circuit development, transcription, axon guidance, neuronal migration, synaptogenesis, genetics
![Haining Zhong](/sites/default/files/2019-03/vollum-faculty-HainingZhong-210x162.jpg)
Haining Zhong, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
Research interests
neuromodulatory signaling during animal behavior, experience-dependent plasticity, striatum, dopamine, norepinephrine, locomotion, cAMP/protein kinase A (PKA), two photon FLIM-FRET imaging, CRISPR gene editing
Emeritus Faculty Members
John P. Adelman, Ph.D.
Research interests: potassium channels, Ca2+-activated, structure-function, synaptic transmission and plasticity
Wolfhard Almers, Ph.D.
Research interests: mechanisms of exocytosis and endocytosis, total internal reflection fluorescence, single molecule imaging
Michael Forte, Ph.D.
Research interests: mitochondrial permeability transition pore, neurodegeneration, ischemic cell death, small molecule therapies
Richard Goodman, M.D. Ph.D.
Research interests: metabolic regulation of gene expression, characterization of activity-regulated genes
Craig Jahr, Ph.D.
Research interests: synaptic transmission, glutamate transport, multivesicular release, electrophysiology, two-photon microscopy
Thomas Soderling, Ph.D.
Research interests: calcium, protein kinases, learning and memory, neuron development