The autonomic nervous system comprises a network of sensory and motor neurons that connect the brainstem and spinal cord to thoracic and abdominal organs. A better understanding of the anatomical and functional plasticity of the autonomic nervous system will likely move forward our understanding of numerous chronic diseases including, but not limited to, obesity, diabetes, visceral pain, neuropathy, and eating disorders.

The Elmquist laboratory uses mouse genetics to identify circuits in the nervous system that regulate energy balance and glucose homeostasis. We have developed unique mouse models allowing neuron-specific manipulation of genes regulating these processes.

The central goal of the Dauer Lab is to unravel the molecular and cellular mechanisms of diseases that disrupt the motor system. In exploring these diseases, we also aim to understand a fundamental question relevant to CNS disease generally: what factors determine the selective vulnerability of particular cell types or circuits to insults? Our primary focus is on Parkinson’s disease and inherited forms of dystonia. We focus our efforts on disease genes that cause these disorders, employing a range of molecular, cellular, and whole animal studies to dissect the normal role of disease proteins, and how pathogenic mutations lead to disease.

Yu Lab is interested in the molecular and cellular basis of Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia, and related neurodegenerative disorders.

Research in my laboratory focuses on better understanding the molecules and mechanisms that assemble axonal connections with a goal of utilizing this knowledge to encourage axons to reestablish their connections after trauma or disease.

The mission of Napierala Lab is to contribute to the development of therapies and a cure for Friedreich’s ataxia (FRDA) by elucidating molecular mechanisms causing the disease, developing novel cellular and animal models of FRDA, identifying disease biomarkers and testing novel therapeutic approaches.

The general focus of the Green Lab is to understand the molecular mechanism of the mammalian circadian clock, how it controls rhythmic biochemistry, physiology and behavior and how loss of clock function can impact health, resulting in metabolic disease, cancer and other ailments.

Minassian Lab has been involved in the identification and co-discovery of the causative gene mutations in over 20 different childhood neurological diseases. 

The goal of Lin (Weichun) Lab's research is to understand how neurons establish synaptic connections during development, and how these connections are maintained throughout adulthood. Toward this goal, we are currently focusing on the following two areas of research.

The goal of the Center for Translational Neurodegeneration Research is to identify the underlying biochemical principles of human diseases & disorders in order to design novel therapies to prevent, delay, or cure them.