Catherine Thorn

Catherine Thorn is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at The University of Texas at Dallas, holding the Eugene McDermott Distinguished Professorship. She leads the Motor and Habit Learning Lab, focusing on motor skill acquisition and habit formation mechanisms within basal ganglia circuits. Her work integrates rodent models with neuromodulatory interventions like vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) to study neuroplasticity and reward pathways.

Education includes a PhD in Electrical Engineering from MIT (2010), an SM from MIT (2004), and a BS in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech (2002). Postdoctoral training included roles at Brown University (2011–2014) and Pfizer (2014–2017).

Research emphasizes the role of neuromodulators (dopamine, noradrenaline, acetylcholine) in motor system plasticity. Key projects investigate VNS-induced cortical reorganization, fear extinction modulation via locus coeruleus pathways, and interoceptive signaling in nodose ganglia. Her lab explores translational applications in stroke rehabilitation and neurological disorders.

Recent awards include the 2024 UT Dallas Research Award and 2022 Teaching Award. Active grants fund studies on peripheral nerve stimulation for dopaminergic control, noradrenergic mechanisms in stroke recovery, and fear pathway modulation. Over $3M in NIH funding supports her work (NINDS, NIMH, NIDA).