Preschool Research Group, Florida Center for Reading Research. Lab manager for Dr. Christopher Lonigan's large scale RCT studies focusing on emergent literacy skills for preschool children at-risk of reading failure. Past projects have examined early intervention in the area of language and literacy skills, varying models of professional development, and the response to instruction for children with disabilities. Current projects focus on language of instruction for preschool Spanish speaking English-language learners and reading for understanding for children from pre-k through 5th grade.
Research in the area of pelvic pain associated with bladder, colon, uterine inflammation and endometriosis; interested in (1) role of hormones, neurotrophins, cannabinoids and some anti-inflammatory mediators in modulation of pelvic pain and (2) potential applications of these molecules in treatments of chronic pelvic pain.
Provides expert advice and assistance to Neuroscience, Biology, Psychology at FSU for everything from tissue preparation, sectioning, immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridization, to EM and confocal microscope.
Interested and involved in research examining the effects of environmental and endogenous factors on neural plasticity.
(1) Neurobiology of social attachment in a model system of monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). (2) Social and drug reward interactions and underlying mechanisms in prairie voles.
(3) Environmental and hormonal regulation of adult neurogenesis in voles.
Assistant in Research for Dr. Richard K. Wagner's Learning Disability Grant Projects, Florida Center for Reading Research.
Our previous studies focused in the areas of molecular genetic and behavioral research of profoundly-impaired readers as well as longitudinal data collection to analyze the development of reading and writing skills in first through fourth grades. Current studies focus on the definition, classification, and sub-typing of learning disabilities. The overall goals of the current projects are to provide reliable classification and diagnostic criteria that will assist in preventing and detecting learning disabilities in early childhood.
Neurobiological foundations underlying estradiol's anorexigenic effect and the development of activity-based anorexia in female rats. Current studies include investigations of 1) how estradiol modulates the activity of melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) and the serotonin system and 2) molecular mechanisms that influence susceptibility to activity-based anorexia.
