Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience (CMBN)

Our Mission

Our brains determine who we are; how we see, hear, and smell, how we move, touch, and talk, how we remember and forget, how we feel, expect, and plan. Understanding how the brain, with all its areas, connections, neurons, synapses, neurotransmitters, and neuromodulators generates complex behavior is a great scientific challenge.

The mission of the CMBN is to advance understanding of the brain’s structure and function through excellence in neuroscience research and training. We believe this goal can only be reached through an integrative approach that cuts across the boundaries of traditional disciplines. Thus, CMBN researchers combine molecular, electrophysiological, neurochemical, anatomical, imaging, behavioral, and neuropsychological methods to analyze how the brain works, develops, interacts with the environment, and is modified by experience in health and disease. CMBN is also committed to serving the academic and surrounding Newark communities through educational outreach, community service, and research internship programs that train undergraduate and high school students.

Currently, twelve research teams at the Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience (CMBN) explore the frontiers of neuroscience across a range of topics including neuroplasticity, development, language development, neurodegenerative diseases, visual perception, fear and anxiety, motivation, learning and memory. These studies help us understand the healthy brain, but also a number of neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Schizophrenia, Huntington’s, Tourette’s, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression.