Nace Golding

Nace Golding is a Professor and Director of the Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Texas at Austin, within the College of Liberal Arts and the Section of Neurobiology. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed postdoctoral work at Northwestern University. His research focuses on understanding how sensory systems function and develop, particularly in the auditory system. Key areas include dendritic integration of synaptic inputs, ion channel regulation, and the neural mechanisms underlying sound localization.

Research interests emphasize the role of dendrites in transforming synaptic activity into action potentials, with a focus on the mammalian auditory system. Techniques employed include dendritic patch-clamp recordings, optical imaging, and in vivo studies of auditory circuits. The lab investigates how ion channels and synaptic inputs shape neuronal responses critical for detecting sound features like intensity and temporal patterns.

Current lab members include postdoctoral fellows (Catherine Connelly, David Haimes, Rebecca Voglweide) and graduate students (David Brown). Past trainees have gone on to roles in academia and industry. Golding has been at UT Austin since 2002 and actively mentors students across multiple programs, including the Interdisciplinary Life Sciences and Neuroscience graduate programs.

Notable research contributions include studies on glycinergic inhibition in sound localization circuits, developmental changes in synaptic plasticity, and the role of serotonin in modulating spike activity. The lab also collaborates on genomic projects, such as sequencing the Mongolian gerbil genome to improve animal models for auditory research.