Rate My Professor Wolfgang Stein

Stein's research specializes in neurophysiology and neuroethology, focusing on how neuromodulators—such as neuropeptides and monoamines—enable central pattern generators in crustacean nervous systems to withstand perturbations like temperature fluctuations. His lab employs extracellular electrophysiology, optical imaging, and computational modeling on model organisms including the crab Cancer borealis and marbled crayfish. Key publications encompass “Clonal genome evolution and rapid invasive spread of the marbled crayfish” (Nature Ecology & Evolution, 2018), “Modulation of stomatogastric rhythms” (Journal of Comparative Physiology A, 2009), “Neuromodulation to the rescue: compensation of temperature-induced breakdown of rhythmic motor patterns via extrinsic neuromodulatory input” (PLoS Biology, 2015), “Phase maintenance in a rhythmic motor pattern during temperature changes in vivo” (Journal of Neurophysiology, 2014), and “Neuromodulator-induced temperature robustness in a motor pattern: a comparative study between two decapod crustaceans” (Journal of Experimental Biology, 2024). Stein has garnered prestigious recognitions, including the Kavli Foundation Neurobiology and Changing Ecosystems Kavli Exploration Award (2023, shared with international collaborators), the Outstanding University Researcher Award (2023), and selection as a 2024 Researcher to Know. He has secured significant funding from the National Science Foundation, including a $510,000 grant in 2014 and $495,000 in 2018, supporting his investigations into temperature impacts on neural function.