I have the expertise, leadership, training, and motivation necessary to successfully carry out the proposed research project. I have a broad background in neuroscience and pharmacology, with specific training and expertise in behavioral, neurochemical and neurobiological analyses in animal models related to neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression, anxiety, Alzheimer’s disease and neuropathic pain. My research includes investigation of CNS functional roles of natural polyphenols (curcumin, resveratrol and ferulic acid) and the selective phosphodiesterases (PDEs) inhibitors (PDE2, 4, 5 and 9) for treatment of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, in the mediation of the above diseases and the involved intracellular mechanisms. As PI or co-Investigator on the institutional- and NIH funded grants, I laid the groundwork for the proposed research by assessing the roles of PDE4 and its major subtypes (PDE4-A, B and D) in mediating antidepressant and memory-enhancing properties in aspects of behavior, biochemistry, and molecular biology. Recently, my project focused on identification of PDE2 and 9 as targets for treatment of depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and in exploration of intracellular signal pathways. In addition, I successfully administered the projects collaborated with other researchers, and produced several peer-reviewed publications from these projects.