Sunit Baxi - Lab Manager/Research Assistant (2001 - 2003)

Sunit quickly became our computer guru, and in addition worked on a project examining synaptic inputs to cardiac vagal neurons using immunohistochemical techniques. He is now in his 2nd year of medical school at Ross University School of Medicine.

Cory Evans - Research Assistant (2000 - 2004)

Cory completed a number of projects examining synaptic neurotransmission to cardiac vagal neurons that occurs in response to different respiratory activities. He has just joined the Medical School class of 2008 at George Washington University and is looking forward to seeing his former departmental colleagues teach his class in Pharmacology and Physiology this year and next.

Mustapha Irnaten - Postdoctoral Fellow (1998 - 2002)

Mustapha conducted numerous studies on cardiac vagal neurons during his time in our lab, including an examination of opioid receptor modulation of voltage-gated calcium channels and the introduction of the GABA epsilon subunit into cardiac vagal neurons and the resultant effects of GABA receptor benzodiazepine sensitivity. He is now a Research Associate in Ireland.

Robert Neff - Graduate Student (1999 - 2004)

Rob recently completed his Ph.D. in Pharmacology here at GW. His dissertation focused on the cellular mechanisms of respiratory sinus arrhythmia, and the effects of prenatal nicotine exposure and hypoxia on these mechanisms. He is currently studying nicotinic signalling in the nervous system with Dr. Darwin Berg at the University of California, San Diego.

Priya Venkatesan - Postdoctoral Fellow (2000 - 2003)

Priya completed several studies examining opioid receptor modulation of synaptic inputs to cardiac vagal neurons. She has since left the bench to pursue a career as a medical writer and is employed by Medicus in London.

Jijiang Wang - Postdoctoral Fellow (1998 - 2002)

Jijiang studied the function of nicotinic receptors in modulating neurotransmission and respiratory related synaptic activity in cardiac vagal neurons and hypoglossal motorneurons. He recently moved back to China and is currently a Professor at Fudan University.