Professor Emeritus
Office Phone: (352) 294-0033
Email: fthompso@ufl.edu
Education:
| 1968 | BA (Zoology) | Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana |
| 1971 | PhD (Physiology) | Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana |
| 1971-1972 | Postdoctoral Fellowship | Department of Physiology, New York Medical College, New York, NY |
Professional Experience:
| 1972-1974 | Research Associate, The Rockefeller University, New York |
| 1974-1983 | Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida |
| 1983-2004 | Associate Professor, Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida |
| 2005-2009 | Professor, Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida |
| July 31, 2009 | Retired as Professor Emeritus |
| 2008 – present | VA RR&D Investigator, Translational Rehabilitation Research Initiative Health Science Specialist, BRRC Malcolm Randall VA Medical Center, Gainesville, Florida |
Research Focus:
A problem of particular interest in our laboratory is spasticity following traumatic brain or spinal cord injury. These injuries disrupt portions of the motor pathways that regulate excitability of spinal motor systems. As we learn more about how injuries alter fundamental processes, we can develop and test experimental therapies that incorporate these issues. We are currently evaluating the effectiveness to two modes of activity directed plasticity on locomotor recovery following spinal cord injury. In addition, we are developing a model of traumatic brain injury-induced spasticity to increase our understanding of the neurobiology of this condition. Collectively, these studies utilize neurophysiological, behavioral, anatomical, and immunohistochemical investigations.
