Postdoctoral Research Associate
Neuropsychiatric Genetics Group
Broad Institute of Harvard and M.I.T.
Cambridge, MA
Broad Institute Spotlight
profile date: sep '05
I conducted the first systematic study of the neurophysiology of the auditory nerve of the mouse, the standard animal model in mammalian genetic research. After establishing the baseline physiology in normal strains, I characterized the hearing impairment caused by the loss of the olivocochlear efferent neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide, as well as that caused by deletion of the fast BK potassium channel.
I am interested in understanding the genetic basis for psychiatric disorders. One project uses a behavioral mouse model to understand the genetic basis of a known endophenotype for schizophrenia. Using RNA interference, I “knockdown” candidate genes in the mouse brain that may underlie a deficit in pre-pulse inhibition (a sensory processing problem in schizophrenia patients).
My ability to pursue postdoctoral training at a world leading genomic center, without having any formal training in genomics, speaks volumes about the multifaceted education of the SHBT program. I am a young scientist with a broad skill set that has allowed me to feel just as comfortable doing stereotaxic brain surgery, as I am writing algorithms for statistical data analysis. This integration of science, engineering and medicine allows me to consider a broad range of research projects to pursue in the future.
