Education
- Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Richmond, VA
- B.S. in Neuroscience, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA
- A.S. in Science, Thomas Nelson Community College, Hampton and Williamsburg, VA
- Naval Nuclear Electronics Technician ‘A‘ School, Power School, and Prototype, United States Navy, Orlando, FL and Ballston Spa, NY
Research & Interests
- Psychedelics as Potential Therapeutics
Classical psychedelics’ primary mechanism is via the serotonin 2A receptor (5HT2AR). Most of this research concerns analogs of known psychedelics that are synthesized by Medicinal Chemistry collaborators. Psychedelics are increasingly being examined as treatments for psychiatric diseases, including PTSD, depression, addiction, and many others. The resulting downstream effects of psychedelics culminate in increased and improved synaptic connections and dynamic plasticity in the nervous system. This is the first time in history that we can grow neurons! Ideally, studying psychedelics could lead to understanding and even predicting specific psychedelics that result in these effects, as well as potentially exposing other genetic markers to help predict positive effects of psychedelics.
- G-Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) and Ion Channels involved in Psychiatric Disorders
Three specific GPCRs were part of my dissertation research: the 5HT2AR, the dopamine 2 receptor (D2R), and the metabotropic glutamate 2 receptor (mGlu2R). While the D2R and mGlu2R are interesting, the 5HT2AR is the most intriguing. It is integrally involved in the binding and function of psychedelics and anti-psychotic drugs, and yet, it seems to be a target for many more pharmaceuticals of all types, whether as a primary target or an off-target. As for ion channels, I utilized certain potassium channels as G-protein activity reporters as part of my dissertation work. There are ion channels in the nervous system, especially the Blood-Brain Barrier, called Connexins which are implicated in ADHD. Also, part of my dissertation work involved different ratios of GPCRs and ion channels as part of heteromers, and how the stoichiometries and compositions could affect function. Connexins are subunits in gap junctions, totaling six per hemi-channel, for a total of twelve in a gap junction. This presents many possible combinations to examine.
Publications