Baker, Laura A.
Gene-environment interplay in human behavior, including personality, cognitive and social development. Rich datasets from longitudinal twin study of risk factors for externalizing behavior problems available for analysis.
Borzage, Matthew
We focus on innovative imaging-based tools to understand the brain’s vascular, hemodynamic, and metabolic conditions across the lifespan. This physiology is essential to provide adequate nutrients and remove the metabolic byproducts of the brain. Without intact physiology, brain health suffers from early maturation throughout brain aging. Our studies investigate diseases and therapeutics that impair the ability of the brain to adequately supply itself with blood and metabolites, or that inhibit its ability to remove metabolic byproducts. We collaborate with studies and trials seeking interventions that could protect or restore this essential physiology.
Cardenas-Iniguez, Carlos
Carlos Cardenas-Iniguez (pronouns he/him/his) is the Director of the Context, Complexity, and Impact (CCI) Lab, where his research focuses on using large-cohort datasets, such as the ABCD Study, to explore how social stratification shapes the environments in which people live and, in turn, how these environments affect neural and cognitive development and mental health. Dr. Cardenas-Iniguez is also involved with the Geospatial Hub of the Network for Exposomics in the US (NEXUS) Coordinating Center, where he leads efforts to develop consensus-based metadata standards for environmental exposures in human exposome research. His broader work emphasizes integrating environmental and social responsibility into neuroscience and psychology, including applying critical methodologies to illuminate the role of systemic forces in shaping developmental outcomes.
Ching, Christopher
Assistant Professor of Research Neurology
Dr. Ching’s research focuses on neuroimaging and genomic markers of psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. As a core organizing member of the Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium, he designs and implements standardized processing and analysis techniques for large-scale neuroimaging studies. He leads the ENIGMA Bipolar Disorder Working Group, an effort pooling data and resources from around the world to improve our understanding of the biological processes driving bipolar disorder, and studies rare copy number variants like 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome to understand how genetic mutations can lead to increased risk for developing psychiatric illness. He leads several large-scale transdiagnostic neuroimaging and genomic initiatives using machine learning to map common and distinct brain and clinical factors across mental illnesses.
Dias, Brian George
Associate Professor of Developmental Neuroscience & Neurogenetics
Our research seeks to understand not only how mammalian neurobiology, physiology and reproductive biology is impacted by psychosocial and nutritional stress but also how parental legacies of such stressors influence offspring. To achieve this understanding, we employ a lifespan approach to study how stressors affect: sperm/egg/embryo (pre-conceptional stress), the gestating fetus (in utero stress), and the developing infant (post-natal stress). Our experimental approaches include assaying learning-memory-motivation, virus-mediated manipulation of neuronal activity and gene expression, (epi)genetic profiling of cells, in vivo fiber photometry and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
Herting, Megan
Associate Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences
Our laboratory uses advanced MRI neuroimaging techniques to investigate how the brain develops during childhood and adolescence. Our research focuses on both internal and external risk factors, like hormones, air pollution, and physical activity on brain outcomes like structure, function, cognition, and mental health.
