Drug Abuse & Neuropsychiatric Disease
Faculty
Ursula H. Winzer-Serhan
Winzer-Serhan is interested in studying how gene environmental interactions shape the brain during development. Her lab is currently focused on the effects of nicotine.
Rajesh C. Miranda
Miranda’s research focuses on fetal brain development, stem cells, microRNAs and teratology.
Jun Wang
The Wang lab's research focuses on the role of basal ganglia circuitry in the neurobiological basis of neuropsychiatric diseases. These diseases include alcohol use disorder (alcohol addiction), opioid use disorder, and Alzheimer's.
Laura N. Smith
Broadly, Dr. Smith is interested in the underlying molecular and circuit mechanisms of complex behavior, particularly in how alterations in such pathways lead to the maladaptive features of mental illnesses.
Israel Liberzon
Liberzon’s primary research interest centers on emotions, stress and stress-related disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), particularly in the regulation and dysregulation of stress response systems. His work integrates cognitive, functional neuroimaging, neuroendocrine and genetic approaches.
Hubert Amrein
Dr. Amrein and his team are interested in sensory perception of olfaction and taste, the molecular and neural basis of sugar and amino acid perception. Other projects address the role of pheromone receptors in social behaviors, including courtship and mating, egg laying, and aggression.
Samikkannu Thangavel
Dr. Thangavel is predominantly interested in the neuropathogenesis of HIV and drug abuse. His lab is elucidating the role of HIV and drugs of abuse in energy dysregulation, which ultimately may lead the neurodegeneration.