Michael Quick, professor of biological sciences, was appointed dean of research in July 2005. He provides leadership and oversight for faculty research programs through contracts and grants, organized research units (ORUs), postdoctoral research associates, faculty fellowships, facilities and space management.

In the laboratory, Quick uses the tools of modern molecular neurobiology to examine the cellular and subcellular processes that underlie neural communication, but which also specifically contribute to diseases such as epilepsy, cocaine and amphetamine abuse, and nicotine addiction.

Chemical messengers, or neurotransmitters, mediate that communication in the synapse, the gap between neurons. Some of these neurotransmitters stand out in terms of their importance in human disease and behavior. Low levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the synapse, for example, have been linked to depression. Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, autism and many other brain disorders appear related to increased or decreased neurotransmitter signaling. Quick's investigations have revealed myriad mechanisms for regulating proteins in the brain that respond to neurotransmitter and to the proteins responsible for setting neurotransmitter levels. Quick is also working on a collaborative project with scholars from the Getty; the goal is to apply biological tools to the field of art conservation.

Quick studied psychology and biology as an undergraduate student at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, and then spent time in the Peace Corps. He began graduate school focused on psychology, but gradually became more interested in using biological tools to understand how the brain produces behavior. After receiving his Ph.D. in neuroscience from Emory University in 1992, he took a postdoctoral position at California Institute of Technology where he focused on molecular biology. He served on the faculty of the University of Alabama School of Medicine in Birmingham before joining USC College in 2002.

Quick has earned a number of top awards for his teaching endeavors at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, including the Presidential Teaching Award at the University of Alabama School of Medicine, their highest teaching honor. Since coming to USC he has been recognized by the Mortar Board Society and received a "Teaching Has No Boundaries" award. He is presently a Faculty Fellow in the USC Center for Excellence in Teaching. His efforts as a Faculty Fellow included utilizing technological approaches to promote "students as teachers" both inside and outside the traditional classroom setting, and using student-driven, problem-based approaches to facilitate educational experiences.