Emotion

Nov 9 2016
When: 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Where: Harman Academy
Event Type: Polymathic Pizza

Event Details

"Don't stress over anything you can't change." – Mickey Mouse

That’s easy for a mouse to say.  What if the emotion you are feeling is actually determined by a gene and not something that you can easily change or control?  University Professor Jean C. Shih will discuss her current research that focuses on the neurobiology of emotional behaviors and the gene identified as related to aggression and anxiety.  In her field of pharmacology, Professor Shih has branched out into psychotropic research as a crucial element not only of medical practice but also as a pathway towards an understanding of the relation between genes and behaviors.  In this discussion, Professor Shih will explore with students the integrated interdisciplinary--aka polymathic--nature of pharmacology and how her work is, as she says, “dedicated to help us better understand mental diseases and the environmental impact on behavior. That’s how we’ll really be able to help reduce human suffering.” 

Speaker Information

Speaker

Jean C. Shih

University Professor and Boyd & Elsie Welin Professor of Cell & Neurobiology, Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology

Jean C. Shih is University Professor and Boyd & Elsie Welin Professor of Cell & Neurobiology, Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, Keck School of Medicine, School of Pharmacy. Professor Shih examines the roles of neurotransmitters on gene expression, the neurobiology of emotion, signal transduction and ultimately behaviors. Her work provides new knowledge on the molecular mechanisms of brain functions and helps us understand the molecular basis of mental development disorders such as autism, bipolar depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. The new information will be useful for designing novel therapeutic agents and early diagnosis of these diseases.