Neuropharmacology Interest Group

The Neuropharmacology Interest Group (NPhIG) originated as the Neural Cell Function Interest Group in 2005 and changed to its current name in 2013 to capture more precisely the interests of the group. The NPhIG holds talks, seminars, mixers, poster sessions and workshops at the NIH throughout the year. Our group promotes interchange and hypothesis-generation about the biochemical pathways that underlie neuronal, neuroendocrine, and glial signaling in the functioning nervous system. We emphasize first-messenger-initiated signaling through protein-protein interactions that lead to glial activation, neurosecretion, receptor and transporter trafficking and endocytosis, the behavior of circadian clocks, gene transcription and other neural-specific systems behaviors. Biolistic and retrovirally mediated gene transduction, cell imaging, microarray analysis, immunohistochemistry and other techniques employed by interest group members are shared to maintain cutting edge capability in these areas. The important emerging field of signal complex assembly on intracellular vesicles leading to their controlled movement within the cell to subserve transcriptional, secretory, and other functional read-outs in neural cells is emphasized in the meetings of this group. Scientists throughout the campus, and beyond, are welcome to participate in the NPhIG.