Professor of Neuroscience
Dr. Baraban’s research is focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms mediating learning and memory and how intraneuronal signaling pathways orchestrate this process. His laboratory has investigated several key signaling pathways central to this process, including the phosphoinositide system, the MAP kinase pathway and immediate early genes. More recently, his laboratory has focused on understanding how the microRNA system regulates synaptic function and identified the translin/trax RNAse complex, as a key component of the microRNA system in neurons. He has a 30-year history of actively mentoring trainees at both the graduate student and post-doctoral level. Furthermore, during the summers, he has mentored high school and undergraduate students in his lab. This group of trainees includes many students from racial and ethnic minorities and/or disadvantaged backgrounds.