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Rebecca Burwell

Professor:
Psychology
Phone: +1 401 863 9208
Phone 2: +1 401 863 2727
Rebecca_Burwell@Brown.EDU

My research program uses neuroanatomical, experimental lesion, and electrophysiological approaches to examine the contribution of brain regions adjacent to the hippocampus (including the perirhinal, postrhinal/parahippocampal, and entorhinal cortices) to memory and to other higher cognitive functions.

Biography

Dr. Burwell received her doctorate in Experimental and Biological Psychology from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1992. Her postdoctoral training in neuroanatomy and electrophysiology was at The Salk Institute for Biological Studies and the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience at The State University of New York at Stony Brook. She has been at Brown since 1996 and is a Professor in the Department of Psychology with a secondary appointment in the Department of Neuroscience. Dr. Burwell trains graduate students in the Psychology Graduate Program and in the Neuroscience Graduate Program.

Interests

For decades the hippocampus has been the focus of research on the neural basis of memory. Studies conducted over the last few years have provided evidence that cortical areas surrounding the hippocampus contribute to some forms of memory. Given the long-standing concept that the hippocampus serves a critical role in memory processes, the finding that some memory tasks are sensitive to lesions of these adjacent cortical regions, alone, has highlighted the need for close examination of the function of those adjacent structures. My research program uses neuroanatomical, experimental lesion, and electrophysiological approaches to examine the contribution of these regions, including the perirhinal, postrhinal/parahippocampal, and entorhinal cortices, to memory and to other higher cognitive functions. Among other approaches, we employ single-unit recording in behaving animals to examine neuronal firing correlates of behavioral events in tasks that tap such functions as spatial memory, recognition memory, configuration of multiple stimuli, attentional processes, and the processing of context. These approaches are used to differentiate the function of these cortical regions from each other and from those of the hippocampus.

Degrees

Ph.D.

Awards

    National Merit Scholarship, 1971-1974
    University Scholar, Southern Methodist University, 1973-1974
    B.A. Magna Cum Laude, 1974
    James R. Kenan Graduate Fellowship, UNC, 08/87-05/88
    National Science Foundation (NSF) Predoctoral Fellowship, 06/88-05/91
    American Psychological Association Division 20 Student Research Award, 1991
    National Institutes of Health Predoctoral Fellowship, 06/91-08/92
    National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Postdoctoral Fellowship, 12/92-11/95
    McDonnell-Pew Fellowship to attend the Cold Spring Harbor Biology of Memory Course, Summer 1993
    NIMH BSTART Award: The Contribution of the Perirhinal Cortex to Configural Learning, 1997-98
    NSF Career Development Award: Cognitive Functions of the Postrhinal Cortex, 1999-2003

Affiliations

Professional Memberships

  • American Psychological Association
  • American Psychological Society
  • Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society
  • Society for Neuroscience

Service Activities
  • NIH Neurobiology of Learning and Memory Study Section, Center for Scientific Review (LAM, formerly IFCN7), permanent member, 2003-2007.
  • Reviewing Editor, Hippocampus.
  • Reviewing Editor, Frontiers in Neuroanatomy.
  • Ad hoc reviewer: Behavioral Neuroscience, Journal of Comparative Neurology, Journal of Neuroscience, Journal of Neurophysiology, Neuroscience, Neurobiology of Aging, Neurobiology of Learning & Memory, European Journal of Neuroscience, PNAS, and Cerebral Cortex.

Teaching

My teaching interests are in the theory, history, literature, and techniques of behavioral neuroscience. I am also interested in increasing the numbers of individuals who are underrepresented in the field of neuroscience through teaching and mentoring.

Funded Research

Current grants

  • National Science Foundation (NSF) Award: Cognitive Functions of the Postrhinal Cortex, $700,000 (07/2005-06/2010). PI: Burwell

Completed grants
  • NIMH BSTART Award: The Contribution of the Perirhinal Cortex to Configural Learning, $37,288 (04/97-04/98). PI: Burwell.
  • Solomon Research Award (internal): The Postrhinal Cortex and Fear Conditioning, $12,000 (1997). PI: Burwell.
  • NSF Career Award: Cognitive Functions of the Postrhinal Cortex, $429,718 (1998-2003). PI: Burwell.
  • National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) R01, Corticohippocampal Systems and Function in the Mouse, $922,977 (05/00-04/05). PI: Burwell.
  • Brain Science Program Pilot Grant (internal): The Postrhinal Cortex and Fear Conditioning, $8,000 (2006). PI: Burwell, Collaborator: Mehta.

Web Links

Curriculum Vitae

Download Rebecca Burwell's Curriculum Vitae in PDF Format