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James O'Connell McNamara is a Distinguished Professor in Neuroscience at Duke University School of Medicine, holding positions in the Departments of Neurobiology, Neurology, and Pharmacology and Cancer Biology. His research focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying epileptogenesis, aimed at elucidating how a normal brain transitions to an epileptic state. Professor McNamara's work employs both in vivo and in vitro methodologies to investigate prolonged seizures, particularly status epilepticus, and their contribution to the development of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). His lab has identified pivotal signaling pathways involving BDNF and TrkB receptors that modulate synaptic function and facilitate the progression of epilepsy. Notably, he has developed peptide inhibitors that disrupt constitutive TrkB signaling, providing potential therapeutic avenues for preventing or reversing epileptogenesis. McNamara is also an active mentor, having led various educational initiatives, including the Bass Connections Faculty Team and the Summer Neuroscience Program at Duke.
Department of Biomedical Engineering (MS program)