I have a broad background in neuroscience, with specific training and expertise in neuroanatomy, neuropathology, immunohistochemistry, and neuropharmacology. Since joining the National Center for Adaptive Neurotechnologies, I have been involved in studies measuring the physiological, behavioral, and anatomical changes produced by spinal cord injury and peripheral nerve injury and the plasticity-inducing neuromodulatory treatments H-reflex conditioning and cortical stimulation. The goal of my current research is to determine how cortical stimulation produces profound and lasting effects on the spinal cord and spinal cord function and to characterize the effects on physiological, anatomical, and molecular biological levels. To achieve this goal, I have developed and validated anatomical and immunohistochemical methods for quantitative assessment of neural injury, for tracing CNS pathways, and for evaluating changes in specific neuronal, synaptic and receptor populations in the brain and/or the spinal cord associated with reflex conditioning, cortical stimulation, or other interventions. These methods include 3-D quantification of injury or lesion size, retrograde labeling and identification of spinal cord motoneurons, tract tracing, and quantification of pre- and post-synaptic structures (e.g., GABAergic, glycinergic, glutamatergic, cholinergic terminals and receptors on identified spinal cord motoneurons). I am particularly focused on integrating morphological results with functional changes to reveal underlying mechanisms.