Howard J Gritton

Howard J Gritton serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Comparative Biosciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's College of Veterinary Medicine, with additional appointments in Bioengineering, the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, and the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology. His research focuses on neural circuit mechanisms underlying cognition and disease.

His educational background includes:

• B.S. in Biology from University of Utah
• Ph.D. in Neuroscience from University of Michigan
• Post-doctoral training at Boston University

Dr. Gritton's research investigates how neuromodulators (acetylcholine, dopamine, norepinephrine) regulate brain rhythms that coordinate neural activity across regions during learning and memory. His lab employs calcium/voltage imaging, electrophysiology, and optogenetic/chemogenetic tools in mouse models to study circuit mechanisms in autism and Parkinson's disease, with particular focus on excitatory/inhibitory balance and oscillatory dynamics.

His recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate expertise in neural oscillation analysis, neuromodulation, and in vitro neural platforms, spanning computational modeling, motor neuroscience, and neuroengineering applications. Key themes include theta/gamma rhythms in spatial navigation, cholinergic signaling mechanisms, and beta-frequency stimulation for motor function.

Dr. Gritton actively recruits graduate students for his lab, focusing on systems, behavioral, and cognitive neuroscience approaches to understanding neuropsychiatric disorders.