Ethan Gahtan

Ethan Gahtan is a Professor of Psychology at Humboldt State University and an Adjunct Professor of Biology. He holds a PhD in Cognitive and Biological Psychology from the University of Minnesota (1999), with a minor in psychoneuroimmunology, and a BA in Psychology from Macalester College (1993). His research focuses on molecular and neural circuit mechanisms underlying behavior and neurological disease, with secondary interests in evolutionary psychology. He has been a long-standing member of Humboldt’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

His research spans behavioral neuroscience, including studies using zebrafish models to investigate neural circuits involved in sensory-motor integration, stress responses, and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s. He has received significant funding, including a National Science Foundation grant for studying sensorimotor pathways (2008–2014) and a McCrone Promising Faculty Award (2007). His work combines experimental approaches with computational modeling, such as graph theoretical analysis of neural networks.

Key contributions include identifying reticulospinal neuron roles in prey capture behaviors, elucidating glucocorticoid resistance mechanisms, and developing optical techniques for neural circuit probing. His interdisciplinary projects bridge molecular, behavioral, and computational neuroscience, with implications for understanding both normal brain function and disease states.