East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine Department of Physiology 600 Moye Blvd., 6N-98                   Greenville, NC 27834 USA ph:  (+1) 252-744-2920        fax: (+1)  252-744-3460  e-mail: sclemens1@gmail.com

Research interests in a nutshell:     I am interested in understanding the organization and the functioning of spinal cord, and the neural networks that drive and modulate the sympathetic (autonomic) part of the nervous system. These neural circuits in the spinal cord not only control sensory input and motor output, they also govern a wide range of involuntary functions in the body, such as blood pressure control, heart rate, and they are involved in a number of neurological disorders, such as Restless Legs Syndrome, or RLS.     My research is focused on the dynamic actions of the neurotansmitter Dopamine in the spinal cord, to better understand how signals are processed, and how these signals can be altered or modulated by the absence or presence of Dopamine. My long-term goal is to understand the role of this dopaminergic neuromodulation in the context of the functional and interactive plasticity found within the spinal cord, during development and growth, as well as during normal ageing. Some keywords associated with my research are: Spinal cord - Neurophysiology - Neuromodulation - Neural networks - Dopamine - Sympathetic nervous system - Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)