Hanna Stevens, MD, PhD
Psychiatry and Early Neurobiological Development
We are interested in molecular and cellular aspects of early brain development and how these play a role in psychiatric deficits of children, adolescents and adults. We are interested in the role of growth factors, metabolic genes and maternal stress in the development of the embryonic brain. Our projects therefore involve a wide range of approaches including: measuring molecular level changes in the brain through wet lab techniques at the bench, examining cellular changes in the brain with in our digital microscopy suite, measuring physiological changes in serum, measuring animal behavior, examining quantitative data with statistical approaches, and using mice with environmental and transgenic manipulations.
Some previous research experience. Introductory Biology Coursework. Willingness to learn new techniques and be a team player in the lab setting.
Students will develop an individual project within the ongoing work of the lab that will address some aspect of developmental neurobiology and embryonic development. Students may be trained in and participate in a variety of techniques including animal behavior (social, anxiety-like, attention, and learning), gene expression measures (qPCR and quantitative expression data analysis), cellular imaging and quantitation of brain tissue, and DNA assessments.
