Education
Postdoctoral Fellowship Neuroscience, Center For Brain Sciences-Harvard University
PhD Neuroscience (Molecular/Cell Biology), Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Ohio
MSc Molecular Parasitology and Vector Biology, Salford University/University of Manchester
BSc Biomedical Sciences, Sheffield Hallam University
Higher National Diploma (HND) Human Biosciences, Sheffield Hallam University
Biography
Dr. Gareth Harris received his early degrees in the UK by earning his Bachelors degree in Biomedical Sciences in Sheffield, UK. He then completed his Masters Degree in the study of parasites at Salford University/University of Manchester, UK, where he also studied the invertebrate worm, C. elegans and how bacterial pathogenesis influences worm survival. He then moved to the US, to complete his PhD at the University of Toledo, Ohio, where he studied neuroscience, using genetics, molecular, cell biology methods, and behavior to study how neurotransmitter systems, synapses and circuits control sensory behavior and decision-making in worms. Gareth then spent 7 years at Harvard University to complete his postdoctoral fellowship in neuroscience, studying the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying how organisms are able to sense environmental cues and how the nervous system controls decision-making behavior, based on sensation of attractive and repulsive odors.
As a neuroscientist, Gareth runs a sensory behavior research lab where his work currently investigates multi-sensory behavior and how organisms process both attractive and repulsive cues to control decision-making. His research allows students to work with a model organism, examine behavior, use genetics, perform mutant analysis and molecular biology methods. Gareth also leads multiple projects that address using worms as a model system to understand neuropsychiatric disease, different novel therapeutic compounds and potential targeted neural mechanisms.
Gareth’s overall scientific interests include, behavioral neuroscience, neurological disorders, neuroscience mechanisms, genetics, cell and molecular biology, pharmacology and parasitology.
Gareth teaches upper level core Cell Biology 300, upper level bio elective Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience 423, a Special topics on New Insights into disease and brain disease treatments 490, and mentors an independent research group 494. He is also the advisor for the CSUCI Neuroscience Society and MD/PhD club.
Gareth loves to teach students in both lecture and lab settings, to give students the opportunity to learn theory and put this theory into practice, build confidence and prepare themselves for future endeavors in STEM.
Representative Courses Taught
- BIOL 300 Cell Biology 300 upper level lecture course
- BIOL 423 Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience upper level elective
- BIOL 494 Independent Research course 494
- BIOL 300 Cell Biology 300 Laboratory course
- UNIV 498 Research (Student-Faculty Collaborative Independent research) course UNIV498
- BIOL 490 New Insights into Pharmacological and non pharmacological therapies for brain disease
Scholarship
Keywords
Neuroscience, Cell Biology, Genetics, behavior, Disease