Over the past 35 years, I have conducted extensive physiological studies in animals to investigate spinal motoneuron physiology and pharmacology, and the complex plasticity in spinal cord and brain associated with spinal cord injury, spinal reflex conditioning and with other interventions, including cortical stimulation and peripheral nerve transection. I have established in my laboratory: surgical techniques for spinal transection and chronic implantation of electrodes for recording sphincter muscle activity and bladder cystometry; instrumentation for continuous detection and quantification of urinary function; data collection methods using a PC-based system that is capable of collecting data continuously, 24 hours/day, 7 days/week from freely moving rats; analysis of bladder function; post-transection animal care; and intracellular recording from motoneurons using my recently developed in vitro spinal cord slice preparation. This latter methodology affords viable motoneurons from adult rats suitable for electrophysiological study. It is a unique preparation (which at present is only in use in a few laboratories), and is ideal for physiological and pharmacological study of motoneuron properties because it provides viable motoneurons, ease of access to them, extracellular environment control, and mechanical stability. In addition to my research experience, I have also served as the leader of NCAN's training and dissemination efforts, including its three-week NIH-supported Short Course in Adaptive Neurotechnologies.