A significant body of behaviorally oriented mental health research is being pursued at Howard University, however relatively few faculty are studying the neurobiological bases of disorders of mental health. This is an important emerging area of investigation. Since minority research scientists are under-represented in all aspects of mental health research, one of the major goals of this proposal is to nurture the development of a critical mass of skilled and productive faculty and graduate students with research interests in the neurobiology of mental health in the College of Medicine. This effort will help establish a more comprehensive community of scholars at Howard University with interrelated interests in mental health. The investigators propose to establish a bi-weekly Research Seminar Series entitled """"""""Neurobiology and Mental Health"""""""" in order to bring mental health issues to the forefront of Howard's academic community. The investigators have proposed three Individual Investigator Research Projects to study the neurochemical anatomy and synaptic interactions of monoaminergic neurons with limbic brain circuits at the electron microscopic level. These ultrastructural studies will complement areas of existing expertise in neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, neuropharmacology, molecular biology, and behavior which will also be utilized within the laboratories of the Principal Investigators. The investigators propose to strengthen the institutional infrastructure by purchasing a complete high resolution digital camera system from Gatan, Inc. to be installed within the core electron microscope, with external computerized image archiving and both on-line and off-line computerized digital image analysis software and a high resolution printer. This improved system will modernize and expand existing infrastructure capacities, and bring the core electron microscopy laboratory instrumentation into competition with other Universities in the forefront of the field. The investigators propose to receive specialized training in digital microscopy, computerized image analyses, and stereology. By providing the support needed to establish outstanding research programs, funding of this MRISP application will enhance the recruitment, hiring and retention of faculty with interests in the neurobiology of mental health disorders. Furthermore, this support will also facilitate the training of a significant number of minority graduate students in the field.
