Faculty
Read about the research taking place in the laboratories headed by the various mentors. We are still actively recruiting mentors, so if you read about and are excited by research taking place a laboratory that is not represented here, reach out to that faculty member to express your interest.
Assistant Professor
Auerbach实验室采用多系统和多尺度的方法来推进我们对大脑和心脏中电干扰的患病率和机制的理解. For example, we perform patient database analyses to examine the co-prevalence and risk of seizures and arrhythmias. Then using cellular and animal models of the disease, 我们执行分子/生化和电生理方法来了解这些神经心脏病理的潜在机制, and the complex cascade of multi-system events that lead to sudden death. Ultimately, these results are validated using patient databases, and thus complete the full bedside-to-bench-to
Related specialties: Cardiology, Neurology-Epilepsy, Pharmacology Electrophysiology
Related Diseases: Arrhythmias, Seizures, Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy
Neuroscience & Physiology
Boschen实验室利用胎儿酒精谱系障碍(FASD)的体内模型研究了产前酒精发病的细胞机制。. In particular, we are interested in how alcohol exposure during early gestation affects cell cycle kinetics, cell death vs. cell proliferation, DNA damage repair, and epigenetic modifications that impact gene transcription. We also study the long-term effects of alcohol on neuroanatomy and behavior, 关注行为障碍与特定细胞群和信号通路变化的关系.
Related Specialties: Addiction, Pediatrics, Embryology
Related Diseases: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Neuroscience & Physiology
Gamage实验室对G蛋白偶联受体(GPCR)信号传导感兴趣，因为它与成瘾的神经药理学有关. We primarily study the cannabinoid type-1 (CB1) receptor, through which the primary psychoactive constituent of cannabis, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, produces its psychotropic effects. CB1 is highly expressed throughout the brain, including regions important for reward and emotional processing, two key systems involved in addiction. 我们的实验室使用体外和体内技术来研究新的小分子如何与这些受体相互作用，以调节内源性大麻素信号传导并促进信号传导偏倚，以开发具有最小副作用的途径聚焦治疗方法.
Associate Professor
Howell实验室研究Reelin-Dab1信号通路的功能障碍如何影响神经元迁移障碍, autism and Alzheimer's disease. In particular, 我们对Reelin-Dab1通路和其他与这些条件相关的分子通路之间的串扰感兴趣. We use mouse and cell culture models, including patient-induced pluripotent stem cells, to study the effects of signaling aberrations in these diseases.
Assistant
胡实验室研究致盲性色素性视网膜炎的视网膜变性机制，以及与发育迟缓和眼部异常相关的综合征型先天性肌营养不良症的脑畸形机制. We use the zebrafish and mouse to model these human disorders. Currently, we are developing experimental gene therapies using various animal models.
Assistant Professor
Related Specialties: Pathology, computational pathology, artificial intelligence, oncology, urology, translational medicine
Related Diseases: prostate cancer, bladder cancer, lung cancer
Associate Professor
Mechanism of RNA polymerase I transcription and its dysregulation in cancer and craniofacial dysmorphologies.
Related Specialties: No related specialties or diseases yet
Neuroscience & Physiology
The Lin lab focuses on understanding how physiological needs govern behavioral responses. Specifically, 我们感兴趣的是通过肠-脑轴通信的营养特异性喂养调节的潜在分子和神经基础. We take advantage of Drosophila's molecular/genetic toolkit, its tractable nervous system, EM-based connectome, ex-vivo gut in-vivo brain functional imaging, 以及一系列完善的喂养行为分析，以揭示控制营养特异性喂养的神经回路机制. 从我们的研究中获得的机制见解将阐明特定的营养饱腹感信号如何在大脑中整合以调节摄食行为.
Related Specialties: Gastroenterology, Pediatrics, nutrition, and psychiatry
Related Diseases: Eating disorders, Obesity, Anorexia
Associate Professor
Matthews实验室研究细胞外微环境在正常大脑发育和成熟中的作用, and its contribution to neural disorders and injury. 我们的实验室对细胞外基质中的一种叫做神经周围网的亚结构特别感兴趣. 这种结构是发育可塑性的关键调节因子，并与一系列神经心理和神经疾病有关. The lab utilizes a combination of biochemical, neuroanatomical, 用分子方法来理解正常和受损大脑中神经周围网络和神经细胞外基质的功能.
Professor
The Middleton lab is focused on determining the biological bases of psychiatric and neurological disorders. We use high-throughput genetic, epigenetic, 以及人类受试者或动物和细胞模型的功能基因组技术，以确定与这些疾病相关的分子机制. We are particularly interested in autism, schizophrenia, ADHD, Parkinson's disease, alcohol abuse, and traumatic brain injury.
Associate Professor
奥尔森实验室研究破坏树突生长和神经元分化的神经发育障碍. The dendrite is a major component of the wiring of the brain, and disruptions of dendritic development are associated with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), autism and epilepsy. We use multiphoton microscopy and mouse disease models to examine how genetic mutations, early neural activity and fetal ethanol exposure alter dendritic growth and brain structure.
Professor
Pignoni实验室专注于转录因子和信号分子在神经发生和眼睛发育中的作用. We primarily use the Drosophila melanogaster as an in vivo model, as it provides us with an incomparable platform for genetic analyses. We also work in cell culture and in yeast to dissect protein function at a molecular level. Lastly, we rely on transcriptomics to understand gene networks. Genes we study are cause of birth defects in humans. Dr. Pignoni also serves as the Chair of Neuroscience & Physiology, and is Director of the Neuroscience Graduate Program
Related Specialties: Ophthalmology, ENT, Pediatrics
Related Diseases: Congenital diseases, coloboma, Microphthalmia, hearing loss, Branchio-oto-renal (BOR) syndrome
Associate Professor
Viapiano实验室研究神经微环境促进脑癌发生和生长的机制. In particular, 我们关注的是由癌细胞产生的触发促肿瘤作用的细胞外基质成分. We generate novel reagents to target these molecules in brain cancer and utilize patient-derived and organ-on-chip tumor models; mouse models of cancer; molecular and cellular techniques; and high-end genomic analyses of brain cancer datasets and biopsy samples to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
Assistant Professor
The Viczian lab is interested in human eye disease and how it originates during embryonic development. This process is disrupted in patients with anophthalmia (no eye) and microphthalmia (small eye), where the underlying cause in many cases is unknown. We identified T-box transcription factor, Tbx3, as an initiator of eye formation in frog. Our lab has extended these studies to the mouse, where we will determine which stages of mammalian retinal development require Tbx3. When misregulated, Tbx3 causes cancer. In other areas of the body, Tbx3 is required for normal lung, heart, limb and mammary gland formation. How Tbx3 is regulated in the eye and its underlying function is unknown. Insight into how this transcription factor functions may reveal links to causes of developmental eye disease.
Professor
MiNDS实验室在死后的人类大脑和动物模型中使用定量分子生物学和神经解剖学技术来了解精神分裂症的生物学基础. In order to understand normal human development and aging, we chart molecular and cellular brain changes across the human life span, in humans from two months in age to 100 years. Using cellular neurobiology, histology, anatomical molecular mapping, transcriptomics, and quantitative molecular assays of proteins, metabolites and enzyme activity to analyze the human cortex and basal ganglia, we seek to uncover the underlying causes of schizophrenia and other disorders.
Assistant Professor
伍德福德实验室对线粒体功能障碍在泌尿系统癌症发病机制中的作用感兴趣. 代谢失调和对细胞凋亡不敏感是线粒体调控癌症的两个标志, and we use mitochondrial chaperones as a vehicle to understand the regulation of mitochondrial biology. 我们主要利用蛋白质生物化学和生物物理学与人体组织培养研究相结合，提供了对蛋白质功能的孤立和情境化理解. We are also interested in developing mitochondrially-targeted inhibitors with activity in urologic cancers.
Related Specialties: Urology, oncology
Related Diseases: Kidney cancer, prostate cancer, neurodegenerative disease, metabolic disorders
Assistant Professor
The Zhu lab is focused on characterizing processes of brain development using the Drosophila model. In type II neuroblast lineages, intermediate neural progenitors greatly expand production of neurons. 通过阐明中间神经祖细胞增殖和分化的机制, we hope to gain mechanistic insights into the generation of brain complexity and brain tumor formation. In the mushroom body of the adult Drosophila brain, 蘑菇体输出神经元通过树突连接到蘑菇体神经元的特定轴突段. 我们使用这个模型来阐明亚细胞特异性靶向树突的细胞和分子机制. Such subcellular specificity of synaptic connections has profound impact on neuronal activity and function.