He received a B.S. in Biology and Psychology from the University of Georgia and a PhD in Neuroscience from Emory University. His research group is focused on the etiology and treatment of disorders of the central nervous system. Areas of special emphasis include autism, substance abuse, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson’s disease. The Murnane group directly or through collaboration uses techniques such as computational chemistry, medicinal chemistry, drug formulation, cell biology, molecular biology, electrophysiology, immunohistochemistry, behavioral pharmacology, operant conditioning, and neuroimaging.