Preclinical Contract Research

• Catamount Research and Development and Med Associates is committed to excellence in basic research.
• Catamount Research and Development and Med Associates has a dedicated research staff made up of a Ph.D. scientist and lab technicians.
• Members of our Scientific Board of Directors, made up of industry-recognized experts, are involved with each project.

Gerald M. Herrera, PhD

President, Catamount Research and Development

Vice President of Research and Development, Med Associates

Dr. Herrera obtained his PhD in Molecular Physiology and Biophysics from The University of Vermont (UVM) in 2001, where he studied smooth muscle excitation-contraction coupling. He is an expert in muscle physiology, specializing in the smooth muscle that lines hollow organs. Dr. Herrera is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor in Pharmacology at UVM, and maintains active research collaborations with academic colleagues. His research interests include the physiology and pathophysiology of the urinary bladder, smooth muscle excitation-contraction coupling, electrophysiology of smooth muscle cells, cellular calcium signal transduction pathways, and integrative physiology. Dr. Herrera joined Med Associates full-time in early 2004. Since that time, he has been involved with new product development, contract research, and technical writing. Dr. Herrera has served on the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee at UVM since 2001, and is also a member of the IACUC at Med Associates.

Curriculum Vitae

Catamount Research and Development and Med Associates collaborates with experts in the fields of behavioral neuroscience, smooth muscle pharmacology/physiology, urogenital physiology, and gastrointestinal physiology. Through these strong collaborations, we are able to offer sound experimental design, solid study performance, meaningful data interpretation, and efficient report generation for each project.

Mark T. Nelson, PhD

Professor and Chairman, Department of Pharmacology, University of Vermont

Smooth Muscle Physiology/Pharmacology

Dr. Nelson obtained his PhD in 1980 studying Neural Sciences at Washington University, St. Louis, MO. The overall goal of the research in Dr. Nelson's laboratory is to understand the control of smooth muscle cell function by the cell membrane. A combined approach, utilizing single cell isolation, single channel and macroscopic recording techniques, intracellular calcium and calcium spark measurements using conventional fluorescent imaging techniques, laser scanning, and confocal microscopy, diameter and membrane potential measurements in intact pressurized arteries, and expression of ion channels, is used to examine the properties of calcium and potassium channels and ryanodine-sensitive calcium release channels. Calcium and potassium channels are the sites of action of several types of drugs that are used to treat cardiovascular disorders such as hypertension and angina. To understand the mechanism of action of these important drugs, the effects of these agents on calcium and potassium channel behavior are being investigated.

Dr. Nelson is considered one of the world's leading experts in smooth muscle function, and has authored well over 125 peer-reviewed manuscripts. His publications are often hailed as landmarks in the field and are frequently used for teaching purposes in graduate courses throughout the world. Many of his publications have topped several hundred citations. Dr. Nelson's classic 1989 Science paper entitled "Hyperpolarizing vasodilators activate ATP-sensitive K+ channels in arterial smooth muscle" currently stands at well over 1,000 citations. A recent survey of the prestigious journal "The American Journal of Physiology Cell Physiology" indicates that five out of the top 20 cited publications in this journal derive from the Nelson Laboratory at The University of Vermont. Dr. Nelson is currently ranked at number 26 in the world in the "Top Ranked Researchers" list published by IonChannels.org.

Click here for Dr. Nelson's lab web page

Stephan G. Anagnostaras, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego

Integration of Molecular Genetics and Cognitive Neuroscience in Mice

Dr. Anagnostaras obtained his PhD in Psychology in the laboratory of Dr. Michael Fanselow at the University of California, Los Angeles studying the neural basis of Pavlovian fear conditioning. After completing his graduate studies, Dr. Anagnostaras went on to train as a Postdoctoral Fellow in the laboratory of Professor Alcino Silva at UCLA. He is a well-respected young scientist and already has several high-impact publications in the field. He has taught undergraduate- and graduate-level courses in the Neurosciences, as well as serving as Course Organizer for the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Summer Course on Mouse Behavioral Analysis.

The general aim of Dr. Anagnostaras' research is to combine the molecular-genetic, systems, and cognitive-behavioral levels to understand how the brain produces behavior and cognition. A major emphasis in this endeavor is bridging systems and molecular approaches using hippocampus-dependent learning, in particular, learning about context. The hippocampal-neocortical memory system offers an excellent opportunity in which the molecular and cognitive levels may be first plainly joined. Long-term objectives of Dr. Anagnostaras' research are to advance our understandings of the mechanisms of memory, cognition, and drug addiction.

Click here for Dr. Anagnostars’ lab web page

Chris C. Chabot, PhD

Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Plymouth State University

Dr. Chabot obtained his PhD from the University of Virginia. The overall focus of his research is the physiological control of circadian rhythms in animals. He investigates the role of neural and hormonal factors as well as the interaction of the circadian clock with various behavioral and physiological outputs using several species of birds, mammals, and marine invertebrates. . Locomotor activity is often used as a dependent measure because it is a convenient output from the clock and it is easy to measure.

Circadian rhythms are controlled by an internal clock and are molecular, physiological or behavioral events that occur at a frequency of about once/day. These rhythms are ubiquitous among eukaryotic organisms from single-cell organisms to worms to insects to crustaceans to vertebrates and everything in between. This ubiquity suggests that having a circadian clock helps organisms to anticipate and synchronize to daily environmental changes and is of tremendous adaptive advantage.

Dr. Chabot maintains an active research lab involving primarily undergraduate students from the classes he teaches. He continues to attract students to his courses and labs due to his strong commitment to his students and his excellence in teaching. Dr. Chabot instills in his students the importance of critical thinking and the process of doing science, encouraging them to develop their questions and then to come up with ways with which they can attempt to answer them.

Click here for Dr. Chabot’s lab web page

Steven I. Dworkin, PhD

Professor, Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry,
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center

Behavioral Neuroscience

Dr. Dworkin received his undergraduate training in psychology at the University of Maryland and earned his PhD in psychology from the University of Florida. Dr. Dworkin completed post-doctoral training in neuroscience at the LSU Medical Center and has held tenured positions at LSU Medical Center in Shreveport in psychiatry and pharmacology and the Wake Forest School of Medicine in Pharmacology and Physiology. He is currently a distinguished professor in the Department of Psychology at The University of North Carolina Wilmington.

Dr. Dworkin has established international recognition for his research on the neuropsychopharmacology of abused substances. He has received both private and NIH funding and has published extensively in several areas including behavior analysis, behavior pharmacology and the neuroscience of addiction. Dr. Dworkin is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and a member of ASPET, CPDD, the Society for Neuroscience and ABA International. He has reviewed manuscripts for the major journals in the field and served on NIH and NIDA study sections.

Curriculum Vitae

William A. Falls, PhD

Associate Professor and Chair of Psychology; Director of Undergraduate Studies, University of Vermont

Neurobiology of Learning, Memory and Emotion

Dr. Falls obtained his PhD from Yale University in 1993. Research in the Falls Lab is focused on examining the neurobiology of learning, memory and emotion. We utilize Pavlovian fear conditioning procedures in rats and mice to examine the neural systems involved in the acquisition, expression and inhibition of conditioned fear. Fear is measured in our laboratory using the fear-potentiated startle paradigm. In the fear-potentiated startle paradigm conditioned fear is assessed by measuring the amplitude of acoustic startle in the presence and absence of a fear-eliciting stimulus. Conditioned fear is operationally defined as elevated startle amplitude in the presence versus the absence of the fear-eliciting stimulus. Pavlovian conditioned fear procedures are thought to model many aspects of fear and anxiety in humans. Indeed, phobias and posttraumatic stress disorder are thought to reflect pathological fear responses acquired through Pavlovian conditioning. Individuals with these disorders exhibit exaggerated fear in certain situations (i.e., in the presence of the phobic stimulus) that may reflect aberrant activity in the neural circuits responsible for the acquisition, expression or inhibition of fear. Thus, by examining these neural systems we will better understand the etiology of these disorders and may begin to develop new and more effective treatments.

Click here for Dr. Falls’ lab web page

Gary M. Mawe, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Anatomy, University of Vermont

Neuronal Control of Smooth Muscle Lining the Gastrointestinal and Biliary Tracts

Dr. Mawe graduated with a BS, with Distinction, in Biology at The Pennsylvania State University, PA. He received his PhD in Anatomy at The Ohio State University, OH. During his post-doctoral studies at Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, NY, Dr. Mawe, in collaboration with Dr. Gershon and Dr. Branchek, was the first to identify the responses of gut neurons to 5-HT 3 receptor activation, and identified the 5-HT 1P receptor that mediates serotonergic-synaptic transmission in the enteric nervous system. He is now Professor of the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology at the University of Vermont, VT.

In Vermont, Dr. Mawe has established an internationally recognized research program that focuses on how the nervous system regulates motor activity in the intestines and biliary tract in normal and pathological conditions. He has received several awards, including the Janssen Award for Basic or Clinical Research in Gastrointestinal Sciences, and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America Foundation Award in Excellence. He also received the Basmajian/Williams & Wilkins Award of the American Association of Anatomists. He reviews manuscripts for several journals; is on the editorial board of the American Journal of Physiology, and is an Associate Editor for Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic & Clinical.

Click here for Dr. Mawe’s lab web page

Edward G. Meloni, PhD

Assistant Professor in Psychiatry, Behavioral Genetics Laboratory, Medicinal Discovery and Development, Harvard Medical School; McLean Hospital

Animal Models and Therapeutics
of Bipolar Disorder

Dr. Meloni received his PhD in Neuroscience from Yale University in 2000. His post-doctoral experience included research in the Psychiatry Department at Emory University and Neurology Department at Harvard University. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Medicine Discovery and Development Laboratory at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital.

Dr. Meloni's research focuses on bipolar disorder with the aim of 1) a better understanding of the neurobiology of this psychiatric illness, 2) developing better animal models of this disease, and 3) discovering and developing better medications for the treatment of bipolar disorder. The scope of the research includes analyses at the molecular, cellular, and behavioral level to address these specific aims.

Click here for Dr. Meloni’s bio

Georgi V. Petkov, PhD

Associate Professor, Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, South Carolina College of Pharmacy

Urinary Bladder Smooth Muscle Function

Dr. Petkov’s primary research interests focus on the mechanisms regulating smooth muscle function and the role of membrane ion channels in this tissue.  His long-term objective is to contribute to a better understanding of urinary bladder smooth muscle function under both normal physiological and pathophysiological conditions.  Millions of individuals suffer from different forms of bladder dysfunction, and Dr. Petkov’s research involves identifying novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of bladder disorders.  He uses a variety of approaches, from molecular biological techniques, isolated myocyte electrophysiology, contractility of isolated muscle strips, and whole animal physiology in order to study the function of the urinary bladder.

Daniel Weber, PhD

Associate Scientist, Manager, Neurobehavioral Toxicology Facility, Children’s Environmental Health Sciences Center, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

Environmental Toxicology in Fishes

Dr. Weber examines the relationship of toxic environmental contaminants to the changes in behavior and neural development in fishes. He has a PhD (Ethology, Physiology) from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and is Associate Scientist and Manager, Neurobehavioral Toxicology Facility of the Children's Environmental Health Center at the UW-Milwaukee Great Lakes WATER Institute. The mission of this NIEHS-funded research center is to develop fish and mammalian models to understand the mechanisms of environmental-based disease in children. Past research has involved studying the effects of lead on social and feeding activities, as well as locomotor behaviors in freshwater species of fish. Dr. Weber has examined changes in circadian behavioral and neurotransmitter rhythms of metal-exposed fish. Current research focuses on the effects of mercury and lead exposure on the embryonic development of neural paths that control startle responses to directional stimuli or learning and memory at various life history stages. Additionally, Dr. Weber works with state and federal natural resource managers to evaluate the effect of urban storm water runoff on the reproductive success of native fish species with the goal of developing guidelines for managing urban and urbanizing watersheds. To proceed with these behavioral experiments, Dr. Weber designs and tests new apparatuses such as those for evaluating visual and acoustical startle responses in larval and adult zebrafish as well as learning and memory assessments.

Peter Zvara, MD, PhD

Research Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Vermont

Neurobiology of the Lower Urinary Tract

Dr. Zvara completed his MD degree in 1987 and urology residency in 1992 at Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia. He then went on to complete research fellowships at the University of California, San Francisco, McGill University, Montreal, and the University of Toronto. In the course of his fellowships, Dr. Zvara received five awards from both the Canadian and the American Urological Associations. He defended his PhD thesis in 1998 at Comenius University. He has worked as a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Vermont since 1999. His research interests include neurourology, lower urinary tract function/dysfunction, erectile dysfunction, and chemoablation of the prostate. His laboratory performs in vivo, in vitro pharmacological, immunohistochemical as well as electorphysiological studies. He has a strong track record of collaborations with researchers in related fields in both academic institutions and the pharmaceutical industry.

Click here for Dr. Zvara’s bio

• 2,600 sq. ft animal care facility
  • Animal quarters
  • Automatic cage washer
  • Testing/procedure rooms
  • Surgery suite/necropsy room
    
    
• Behavioral lab suite
  • Operant and pavlovian conditioning systems
  • Roto-rod
  • Mazes
  • Video tracking
  • Open field activity
  • Self administration
  • Conditioned place preference
         . . . and much more
    
    
• Office space, clerical support, lunch room
  
  
• 7,500 sq. ft analytical, biochemical, physiology, pharmacology lab space
  • GC, HPLC, UV-Vis, IR, fluorescence, various In Vitro test systems
    
    
• 265 sq. ft conference room for meetings, seminars, and teaching purposes
  
  
• 650 sq. ft loading dock for shipping/receiving
  
  
• Immediate access to the staff of engineers, computer programmers, and production facility at Med Associates and Catamount.
  
  
• Total spatial resources of Catamount and Med Associates facilities is roughly 65,000 sq. ft
  
  
• Scientific Board of Directors made up of leading scientists in key areas of research

< back to top>