Eric is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the laboratory of Andrés Buonanno at the National Institute of Child and Human Development (NICHD). For his postdoctoral research and as a 2018 CCB Fellow, Eric is investigating how the neurotrophic factor, neuregulin, via activation of its associated receptor tyrosine kinase, ErbB4, modulates midbrain dopaminergic neuronal functioning in the central nervous system. His principal focus is to elucidate the cellular mechanisms by which neuregulin/ErbB4 signaling modulates distinct subpopulations of midbrain dopaminergic neurons that coordinate compulsive behaviors and cognition.
Eric earned his PhD. in Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders from the University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences where he investigated synaptic plasticity in the autonomic nervous system. When not conducting experiments, Eric enjoys spending time with his wife, being outdoors, and exercising.