Contact Joseph Schroeder
Education
B.A., Franklin & Marshall College;
Ph.D., Thomas Jefferson University
"Whenever possible, I try to impart to students the importance tackling a neuroscience concept from molecular, physiological and behavioral levels. A multidisciplinary, multiplaned approach is the best avenue for understanding the complexities of brain and behavior." - Joseph Schroeder
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience
Joined Connecticut College: 2004
Specialization:
- The neurobiological mechanisms of psychostimulant related behavior
- Animal models of Parkinson's disease and psychostimulant abuse
- The role of vanilloids in the central nervous system
Joseph Schroeder has a diverse background in Psychology, Neuroscience, Cell Biology, Neuropathology and Pharmacology. He helped define the feline model of Parkinson’s disease as his doctoral thesis and went on to examine changes in cell signaling pathways following chronic cocaine administration in animal models of psychostimulant abuse.
Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of behavior has been the unifying theme of his research interests from the beginning of his career. He believes in adopting a multi-level approach to unlocking the secrets of animal behavior, stressing the importance of employing molecular, cellular, neural systems and whole animal methodologies in the lab.
He emphasizes the importance of this approach to his student collaborators who regularly present the results of their work at regional and national conferences. Currently, he and his students are developing a zebrafish (Danio rerio) model of cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization. The ultimate goal of this research is to develop economical, worthwhile behavioral pharmacology animal models that can be easily adapted and especially interesting to undergraduate students.
Professor Schroeder teaches Behavioral Neuroscience, Sensation and Perception, The Neurobiology of Disease, Psychopharmacology and Comparative Psychology: Evolution of Mind and Behavior. In the past he has taught Anatomy and Physiology, and Cellular and Molecular Aspects of Neurobiology and Neuropathology.
View the neuroscience/psychobiology web site.