Researchers
Director
Jefferson Kinney, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Chair, Neuroscience Area
Department of Psychology, UNLV
Afilliate Faculty Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine
Contact Dr. Kinney: Jefferson.Kinney@unlv.edu
Dr. Kinney earned his Ph.D. in 2000 from Colorado State University. He was then awarded an Intramural Research Training Fellowship at the National Institute of Mental Health working in the Section of Behavioral Genetics directed by Dr. Jacqueline Crawley. Research topics in the laboratory focused on both behavioral pharmacology projects as well as extensive behavioral phenotyping of several transgenic mouse models. In October of 2002, Dr. Kinney was awarded the Helen Dorris Fellowship in schizophrenia research in the Department of Neuropharmacology at The Scripps Research Institute in the laboratory of Dr. Tamas Bartfai. Research projects in the laboratory focused on the cellular and molecular alterations in not only schizophrenia but also several other neurological disorders. In August of 2007, Dr. Kinney joined the Department of Psychology at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
Graduate Students
Monica Bolton, M.A.
Monica graduated from UNLV with a B.S. in Biology/Pre-Medicine and a B.A. in Psychology. She started the Experimental Psychology program in the fall of 2010 with an emphasis in Neuroscience. She earned her M.A. from the program in the spring of 2013. Her research focuses on the effect of altered NMDA receptor signaling on learning and memory and neurogenesis.
Contact Monica: Monica.Bolton@unlv.edu
Andrew Murtishaw, M.A.
Andrew graduated from UNLV with a bachelor's degree in Psychology and Biology. He started the Experimental Psychology program in the fall of 2011 with an emphasis in Neuroscience.He earned his master's from the program in the spring 2014. His research interests include elucidating how certain risk factors, primarily diabetes mellitus and neuroinflammation, contribute to Alzheimer's disease.
Contact Andrew: Andrew.Murtishaw@unlv.edu
REsearch Assistants
Kirsten Calvin, Head Research Assistant
Kirsten is a post-baccalaureate student completing a B.S. in Biology/Pre-Medicine. She hopes to obtain an M.D./Ph.D. and pursue a career in neurological sciences. Her research interests include improving the translation of animal models to facilitate the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Contact Kirsten: calvink@unlv.nevada.edu
James McClinch
James is an undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in biology with a minor in psychology from UNLV. He intends to attend medical school. His research and professional interests include neurology, neurosurgery, and neurodegenerative disorders.
Contact James: mcclinch@unlv.nevada.edu
Lab Photos
Spring 2015
Fall 2014
Fall 2013
Fall 2013
Austin Boren
Austin is a senior undergraduate pursuing a B.A. in psychology with a minor in neuroscience. He intends to receive his Ph.D. in neuroscience. His research interests include learning and memory, the role of GABA in neuropsychological disorders, and the pathology of neurodegenerative disorders.
Contact Austin: borena1@unlv.nevada.edu
Robert Nagele
Robert is a senior undergraduate at UNLV pursuing a degree in biology and a minor in psychology. He hopes to attend medical school and pursue a career in neurology. His research interests include animal models of neurodegenerative disease in pursuit of new treatment options.
Contact Robert: robertnagele@icloud.com
Lab Photos