Cristin Gavin

Cristin Gavin is an Associate Professor and Associate Dean at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), with appointments in the Department of Neurobiology (School of Medicine) and Psychology (College of Arts and Sciences). She serves as Co-Director of the Undergraduate Neuroscience Program (UNP) and the NIH-funded Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP), focusing on curriculum development, student mentorship, and diversity initiatives in biomedical sciences.

• Education: B.S. and B.A. from Birmingham-Southern College (2006), Ph.D. in Neuroscience from UAB (2012)

Dr. Gavin's research explores neuroepigenetic mechanisms in memory formation and cognitive dysfunction, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and gene-environment interactions. Her work connects synaptic plasticity to neurological conditions like Pitt Hopkins Syndrome (autism spectrum disorder) and obesity-related cognitive decline.

Her scholarly contributions include studies on epigenetic regulation in memory-related genes, synaptic dynamics during spaced learning, and molecular motors in fear memory consolidation. These studies often intersect with therapeutic targets for neurological diseases.

• Scientific Leadership: Associate Dean for Biomedical Programs (2020-2023), Vice Chair for Education (2023-present)
• Grants: NIH funding for PREP Scholars Program and Blazer BRAIN Summer Research, among others

As an educator, she teaches courses like Mechanisms of Memory and Neurobiology Thesis, while developing professional training workshops for biomedical research applications. Her lab at UAB's Comprehensive Neuroscience Center investigates synaptic mechanisms in developmental and disease contexts.