People

Mercedes Paredes, MD, PhD

Associate Professor
Neurology

Late Cortical Neuron Development in the Human Brain and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Jeanne Paz, PhD

Associate Professor
Neurology

Neural dynamics and plasticity in Epilepsy and associated cognitive dysfunction

Our lab studies how neural synchronization and circuit plasticity relate to adaptive and maladaptive behavior. Our interests span many levels of analysis, from the cell to the circuit to animal behavior. The current major focus of our lab is epileptogenesis, the process by which a normal brain develops epilepsy. Our ultimate goal is to identify epilepsy control points in the brain and to develop strategies to prevent epileptogenesis.

Xianhua Piao, MD, PhD

Professor
Pediatrics

Research Description

Sam Pleasure, MD, PhD

Professor
Neurology
Research description

The Pleasure Lab works on mechanisms controlling development of the cortex and hippocampus. The focus has been on the roles of morphogenic and developmental signaling pathways on the stem cell behavior, cell fate, migration and axon guidance during embryonic and postnatal development. In this area, previous work focused on the roles of Wnt, chemokines and BMP signaling pathways in the developing cortex. More recently, this work has focused on the role of the Sonic Hedgehog pathway in cortical and hippocampal development and function.

Kira Poskanzer, PhD

Assistant Professor
Biochemistry and Biophysics

Astrocytic and neuronal function in the cortical microcircuit

Stanley Prusiner, MD

Professor
Neurology

Molecular Biological, Genetic and Protein Structural Studies of Prion Disease

Louis Ptacek, MD

Professor
Neurology

Genetics and Biology of Human Nervous System Disorders

Dorit Ron, PhD

Professor
Neurology

Signal Transduction, Molecular Neurobiology of Addiction

We use molecular biology, biochemistry and electrophysiology, in parallel with behavioral models, to study how normal signaling processes are altered upon exposure of rodents to alcohol and drugs of abuse, and how these changes lead to the development, maintenance or the prevention of addiction.

Current Projects

Susanna Rosi, PhD

Associate Professor
Physical Therapy and Neurosurgery

Brain Injury, Neuroinflammation and Cognitive Function

John Rubenstein, MD, PhD

Professor
Psychiatry

Genetic Regulation of Forebrain Development

The embryonic neural tube differentiates into diverse structures depending upon their spatial coordinates within the embryo. The forebrain, which is at the rostral end of the neural tube, differentiates into the cerebral cortex, the basal ganglia and other components, each with distinct histologies and functions. Our laboratory is interested in studying the genes that regulate regional specification and differentiation of the mammalian forebrain particularly within the cerebral cortex and basal ganglia.

Philip Sabes, PhD

Professor
Physiology

Cortical mechanisms of sensorimotor integration and learning: measuring and manipulating large-scale neural circuits

Stephan Sanders, PhD

Assistant Professor
Psychiatry

Genomic and bioinformatic approaches to discovering the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders in humans, especially autism spectrum disorder

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