Division of Translational and Basic Science Research
Located on the 9th floor of the Medical School Teaching Facility (MSTF) building on the medical school campus in downtown Baltimore, our group brings together clinician scientists and basic scientists who share a common interest in translational neuroscience research to improve the lives of those who suffer from mental illness. Our space includes molecular and cellular biology laboratories, areas devoted to behavioral pharmacology, as well as shared procedure space for conducting neuroscience research.
Investigators
Todd D. Gould, MD
Our laboratory uses genetic, behavioral, pharmacological, electrophysiological, and photometric approaches to investigate the pathophysiology of mood disorders, as well to advance knowledge of antidepressant drug mechanisms. Of particular interest are mechanisms of rapid-acting antidepressant drugs and neuromodulation strategies. In addition to studies to define the pharmacological action of existing drugs, there are drug discovery and development efforts and focus on improved preclinical models for applications to psychiatry, the functional consequences of mood disorder susceptibility genes, and collaborative translational studies with clinically focused research groups. We aim to further understand the underlying causes of mood disorders, and to assess the feasibility of novel treatment strategies, anticipating that an improved understanding of the underlying biology of mood disorders will lead to earlier interventions and new treatments that will benefit those suffering from these diseases.
Maged M. Harraz, MB, BCh, MS, PhD
The primary focus of the Harraz lab is to elucidate the interplay between protein homeostasis and signal transduction to leverage for drug discovery in neuroscience. We use multidisciplinary approaches to investigate the role of proteostasis in neural cell signaling and its impact on cell and organism biology. Specifically, our research focuses on understanding a novel selective autophagy pathway that targets membrane proteins and elucidating its implications for virus-host interactions, reward behavior, and neurodegeneration.
Sarah H. Clark, PhD
The primary focus of my research is the role of neuroimmune interactions between the adaptive immune system and the central nervous system in the development of psychiatric disorders, to include depression and anxiety, as well as schizophrenia. Like many neuroscientists, I am intrigued by how the brain works, as well as why and how function becomes impaired, whether as a consequence of genetics, environment, or both.
Gustavo Medeiros, MD
I mostly performed studies on the impact of clinical variables and biomarkers on response and side effects to different types of antidepressants. I conduct research on personalized/precision treatment of mood disorders, particularly treatment-resistant depression (also known as difficult-to-treat depression), which is a heterogeneous group of patients. My research vision is to reduce the gap between research and clinical practice by developing practical and clinician-friendly predictive models that could be easily applied in real clinical settings. I have a particular interest in understanding the moderators/mediators of response to ketamine/esketamine, which will provide insight to mechanism of action of these medications and will allow the identification of patients who are likely to benefit from ketamine/esketamine, increasing treatment success and maximizing the use of resources.