Joseph Michael Hall, Ph.D.

Dr. Joseph M. Hall (he/him/his) is a Health Program Specialist supporting the Channels, Synapses, and Circuits Cluster in the Division of Neuroscience at NINDS. 

Prior to joining the NIH, Joseph received his B.A. in Psychology and Biology from Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY. He continued his education and completed his M.S. in Psychology and Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience at the State University of New York at Binghamton, in the laboratory of Dr. Lisa Savage. His research focused on the neurobiology of learning and memory, with a particular focus on voluntary exercise and its effects on restoring cholinergic function in the medial septum/diagonal band and rescuing hippocampal-dependent behavior in a rodent model of amnesia. Dr. Hall then continued as a post-doctoral researcher where he investigated the function of the cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain. Specifically, he investigated whether chemogenetic modulation of forebrain cholinergic neurons recovered attenuated acetylcholine release and learning deficits from binge drinking. Additionally, throughout graduate school Joseph has volunteered to teach and provide mentorship to students considering STEM careers from underrepresented backgrounds since his mentor was a co-chair to The Bridges to the Baccalaureate Research Training Program. He also participated in BRAIN Awareness week with local schools in the community to promote children's interest in Neuroscience.