Centre for Gene Editing Brain Disease Model

Director

LU Zhonghua


One of the major goals of neuroscience research in the modern era is to obtain knowledge on how the brain works in health and disease. With this knowledge, scientists can team up with doctors and engineers to provide early diagnoses or treatments for various brain disorders, such as intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders, and stress disorders. However, effort to achieve this goal has been hindered by the unparalleled complexity in the molecular profile, anatomy, and functionality of neural circuits involved in these pathological conditions. Our research is primarily focused on unraveling the molecular signatures of neural circuits important for neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental diseases. Currently, research in the laboratory aims at:(1)Identify molecular markers for neural circuits involved in innate behavioral and physiological responses; (2) Investigate molecular and anatomical features of functionally distinct neuronal subtypes in the basolateral amygdala; (3) Develop novel tools for the study of neural circuits.