Who We Are

Dr. Cowan serves as the Director of the CNDD. Currently, Dr. Cowan serves as Chair of the Department of Neuroscience and holds the SmartState Endowed Chair in Brain Imaging as a Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Cowan’s research focus is on the molecular mechanisms that regulate transcription- and translation-dependent processes that mediate behavioral and synaptic plasticity in the developing and mature brain. Dr. Cowan’s NIH-funded research lab focus on both neurodevelopmental disorders and substance use disorder, and it utilizes an integrated approach to study these disorders – spanning from genetics and epigenetics, cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, electrophysiology to complex behavioral analyses. His lab seeks to understand the function of NDD (define this) risk genes, such as MEF2C, FMR1, EPHB2, PCDH10, and others, in neurotypical development, and his group develops novel therapeutic approaches to treat NDD symptoms. Dr. Cowan runs a successful research laboratory funded by multiple NIH R01 grants, and he has been the Sponsor or co-Sponsor on numerous fellowships and career development awards. As Chair, Dr. Cowan manages the finances, administrative staff, and strategic vision for the department, comprised of 22 tenure-track and 11 research-track faculty members. The Department of Neuroscience consistently ranks in the top 20 for NIH-funded neuroscience department, in large part due to ~$10.5M/year in funding from NIDA and NIAAA and major strengths in substance use and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Dr. Carpenter is a Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at MUSC. She is a clinical psychologist with a productive program of research funded through both federal and foundation grants, and a strong record of success as a faculty mentor. Dr. Carpenter’s research focuses on various topics related to ASD, including ASD epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Her team has made important contributions to our understanding of ASD epidemiology, as well as physical and mental health of individuals with ASD. Dr. Carpenter has extensive experience mentoring postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty and many of her former trainees are now independently funded in ASD-related research. Access to patient populations is important for the success of clinical research. To this end, Dr. Carpenter directs a busy ASD diagnostic clinic located within the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. The division is one of three designated Medicaid-funded Developmental Evaluation Centers in SC, and it has a catchment area covering roughly one-third of the state. The site serves a mix of rural, suburban, and urban areas with high levels of poverty throughout. She is also the Training Director for the MCHB/HRSA-funded South Carolina Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (SC LEND) program. Drs. Cowan and Carpenter have worked closely together on several initiatives related to ASD research, and Dr. Carpenter brings a strong expertise in clinical diagnostic and treatment and research in ASD, ADHD, and other NDDs.

Dr. Tomlinson is currently a Professor and acting Chair in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Dr. Tomlinson is an internationally recognized expert in the field of complement biology, and he has made important discoveries in how aberrant complement activation drives inflammation and injury in multiple diseases and injury states. An offshoot of this work has been the pioneering development of various types of site-targeted complement inhibitors, some of which are in clinical development. For the past several years his work has been focused on understanding how complement drives neuroinflammatory processes after brain injury, and more recently, how complement-dependent sequelae of brain injury impact neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative processes. He has been continuously funded in the field of complement research by the NIH since becoming an independent investigator in 1993, and also by the VA since becoming a VA Health Research Scientist in 2011. He has authored >185 papers, many in high-impact journals, and is a highly collaborative scientist, especially with other MUSC faculty as evidenced by numerous joint publications. He was also the program director of a recently ended T32 grant “Program in Immunology Research and Entrepreneurship”. With regard to entrepreneurship, his research in the area of complement regulation has resulted in multiple invention disclosures with numerous patents issued and several patents licensed. Dr. Tomlinson is well positioned to provide guidance and training in entrepreneurship, which has become an important facet of training for the rounded development of an academician. Drs. Cowan and Tomlinson collaborate on projects related to neuroimmune functions and complement signaling in the brain, and they have extensive experiences and perspectives on translational and basic research.

Executive Committee (EC) consists of CNDD Director, Associate Directors, core leaders, and Research Project Leader primary mentors. All EC members are active investigators at MUSC and have excellent track records of mentoring, scientific expertise, and academic achievement. The EC will plan and assess CNDD activities, review RPL progress, assess effectiveness of mentoring activities, develop future directions for sustainability, and participate in other functions to ensure the success of the CNDD. EC members are listed below.

Christopher Cowan, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
Department of Neuroscience
CNDD Role(s): PD, Genomic and Bioinformatic Core (GBC) Leader, primary mentor of RPL

Laura Carpenter, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Pediatrics
CNDD Role(s): Associate Director, primary mentor of RPL

Stephen Tomlinson, Ph.D.
Professor and Vice Chair for Research
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
CNDD Role(s): Associate Director, primary mentor of RPL

Patrick Mulholland, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Neuroscience
CNDD Role: primary mentor of RPL 

Antonieta Lavin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Neuroscience
CNDD Role: Pilot Projects Program (PPP) Leader

Rachel Penrod-Martin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Neuroscience
CNDD Role: Mouse Behavioral Phenotyping Core (MBPC) Leader

Stefano Berto, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Neuroscience
CNDD Role: Genomic and Bioinformatic Core (GBC) Co-Leader

Internal Advisory Committee (IAC) consists of eight institutional leaders who provide objective oversight and enhance the integration of the CNDD with university strategic priorities. IAC members are listed below. 

Stephen Duncan, D.Phil.
Professor and Chair
Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, COM, MUSC
Director, COBRE in Digestive & Liver Disease

Hermes Florez, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
Department of Public Health Sciences, COM, MUSC

Steve Kautz, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
Department of Health Sciences and Research, CHP, MUSC
Director, COBRE in Stroke Recovery

Anand Mehta, D.Phil.
Professor and Endowed SmartState Chair in Proteomic Biomarkers
Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology, COM, MUSC
Senior Associate Dean for Research, COM

Timothy Stemmler, Ph.D.
Vice President for Research
Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, COM, MUSC

Terrence Steyer, M.D.
Dean, College of Medicine
Professor
Department of Family Medicine, COM, MUSC

Jane Roberts, Ph.D.
Professor 
Executive Director, Carolina Autism and Neurodevelopment Research Center
Department of Psychology

External Advisory Board (EAB) consists of eminent scientists in the field, including COBRE leader(s) from other states. The EAB provides peer review of Research Project Leaders (RPL) projects, Pilot Projects, critical oversight and rigorous program evaluation. The EAB meets annually to review with CNDD and provide strategic input to maximize the CNDD’s long-term impact and sustainability. The EAB members and their university affiliations are listed below.

Kimberly Huber, Ph.D. (Chair, CNDD EAB)
Professor
Department of Neuroscience
University of Texas Southwestern

Ben Philpott, Ph.D.
Kenan Distinguished Professor
Department of Cell Biology and Physiology
UNC-Chapel Hill

Zachary Warren, Ph.D.
Professor
Departments of Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Special Education
Vanderbilt University

Genevieve Konopka, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
Department of Neurobiology
University of California, Los Angeles

Lori McMahon, Ph.D.
Vice President for Research
Professor
Department of Neuroscience
University of Virginia