Dr. Nick Wright

Education

Ph.D. University of Southampton 1990
B.Sc. University of Southampton 1978

Research Field

I am a neurophysiologist; I am interested in how the brain functions. I use two model systems in my laboratory to look at neuronal excitability and factors that influence it and how these mechanisms are used in sensory coding and learning and memory. My graduate students are trained on a relatively simple system, the subeosophageal ganglion of the common snail Helix aspersa. This is a great system for "beginners" with large, easily identifiable neurons that require minimal maintenance.

Currently I have graduate students investigating the effects on membrane potential, ("current clamp"), of the novel neuromodulators nitric oxide and carbon monoxide. Graduates will soon be performing imaging, (primarily calcium), studies with this system. As a grateful recipient of a recent NIH-BRIN grant, I am just equipping my laboratory to continue my personal research using the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. This involves both "in vitro" patch-clamping and imaging, and "in vivo," (using a living fly with a "window" in its head!), current-clamp and imaging. I am now utilizing mutants that express an endogenous calmodulin-based FRET calcium reporter.

I teach the following courses: Anatomy and Physiology I and II (BIOL 209 and 210), Applied Anatomy and Physiology (BIOL 293), Advanced Human Physiology (BIOL 424/524), Neurobiology (BIOL 433/593), etc.

Contact Information

Department of Biology
ENMU Station 33
1500 S Ave K
Portales, NM 88130

Phone: 575.562.2543
Fax: 575.562.2192
E-mail: nicholas.wright@enmu.edu