His interests lie in functional neuroanatomy and are currently wholly concentrated on studying a mutant rat with a motor control deficit (AS/SGU), which may be of value as a model for the study of various human motor disorders. This project has phenotypic and genotypic streams which draw on expertise from throughout IBLS.
Projects: Sexual differentiation of the mammalian brain and spinal cord by hormones and amines; descent of the testis and the control of this process by hormones; neurodegenerative processes of the basal ganglia as seen in the AS/SGU rat and the genetic basis of the degeneration.

Molecular Pharmacology

This group explores signal transduction, predominantly initiated by G protein-coupled receptors, across and beyond the plasma membrane, how such signals are initiated, integrated, compartmentalised, maintained and destroyed and the protein interaction networks involved. Understanding these aspects in both model and native cell systems, as well as their involvement and perturbation in disease development and progression, links the Molecular Pharmacology researchers to Neuroscience, Cardiovascular Biology, Infection and Immunity as well as the Cell Biology, Plant Science and Protein Science groups. The members of the Molecular Pharmacology group all have longstanding interactions with both the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, designed to translate molecular understanding of cellular signalling cascades into novel therapeutic strategies. Approaches span modern molecular biological and proteomic analyses to cutting edge, real time imaging and biophysical techniques.

The research is focussed on 3 main themes: Spinal Cord Research, Neuropharmacology and the causes and treatment of psychiatric disease (at PsyRING - The Psychiatric Research Institute of Neuroscience in Glasgow). The group aims to understand the function, regulation and plasticity of identified populations of neurons, in terms of their profile of gene transcription, protein expression and electrophysiological characteristics, under normal and pathological circumstances. There are strong links to other groups within the University, including Molecular Pharmacology, the Mammalian Functional Genomics Group, and  Infection and Immunity within the Faculty, the Bioinformatics Research Centre and also the Glial Cell Group within the Faculty of Medicine. Researchers in the Neuroscience Group work closely with the commercial sector, in both Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology arenas, particularly in relation to proteomic technologies and the identification of novel treatment strategies for psychiatric disease. The research builds upon expertise in the disciplines of neuroanatomy, neuropharmacology and neurophysiology, to integrate the latest advances in genetic and functional genomic approaches with state-of-the-art imaging and electrophysiological techniques.