Who We Are

Personal Statement

​My research program focuses on understanding brain circuitry involved in mood regulation, including models of depression and anxiety, and also circuits related to substance abuse. Our experiments are conducted in mice that have been genetically engineered to disrupt the function of certain brain regions, or to allow the manipulation of brain activity with pulses of light, a method called “optogenetics.” Our studies uses neuroanatomical methods, electrophysiology, and behavioral assays to understand the the outcome of these genetic and optogenetic manipulations. Of current interest in the lab is the function of a poorly understood brain region called the habenula. Historically my laboratory has also focused on brain development and the role of regulatory molecules called transcription factors in determining the identity of specific kinds of neurons. We are continuing to study developmental gene regulation in the context of craniofacial development and birth defects. Our research is funded by grants from the NIH institutes NIMH and NIDA. 

Education

Howard Hughes Medical Institute, UCSD Fellowship, 1993
University of California San Diego Residency, 1991, Psychiatry
University of Washington Division of General Internal Medicine Internship, 1988, Internal Medicine
University of Washington School of Medicine Medical education, 1987