The research efforts of my laboratory are directed towards understanding the molecular basis of neuronal functioning. Our experimental approach is reductionist in nature and involves analysis of gene expression in individual cells dispersed in culture, in the live slice preparation or from fixed pathological tissue specimens. We have developed various procedures that have enabled the analysis of cellular functioning using single cells as the experimental model. These procedures include those that permit an analysis of the mRNA complement, the protein complement and an assessment of mRNA movement and translation within single cells. This level of analysis is important since an individual cells biochemical compostion may be diluted by that of surrounding cells. We are currently generating molecular and bioprocess fingerprints of various cell types and disease states. When this is complete, we hope that it will be possible to alter the cellular response to various challenges by altering the levels of these biological processes in a predictable manner.