Dr. Rotterman's research interests involve deciphering spinal motor networks responsible for normal movement and the plasticity of spinal circuits following injury and in disease. Furthermore, he is interested in investigating neuroinflammatory processes responsible for driving neural circuit plasticity as well as behavioral readouts of motor control. His academic and research experience has provided him with an extensive background in neuroscience, genetics, inflammation, and synaptic physiology/biophysics. He has also accomplished a number of technical skills along his journey, including neuroanatomical tracing methods (tracers/viruses), confocal and 2-photon microscopy, live cell imaging, genetic manipulations, in vivo electrophysiology, and recording reflex responses. As he establishes his career as an independent investigator, he plans to merge his anatomical skills in investigating spinal circuit connectivity with his functional physiology tools to better understand how spinal networks produce movement and how they can go awry in injury and disease models.