Faculty Profile

Areas of Research: The primary aim of this laboratory is to more fully understand the neuronal and cellular bases of neuropsychiatric disorders. The human genome includes many variations, ranging from duplications and deletions of full chromosomes to single nucleotide polym

Professional Interests

dependence and 22q11 syndrome. Determining the genetic mechanisms of psychiatric
neuropsychiatric disorders are often not based on the underlying mechanisms of the
disorder. Second, individual genes contribute to neuropsychiatric disorders in complex
clinically defined neuropsychiatric disorders have yielded inconsistent results and are
nicotine dependence and 22q11 syndrome.

Nicotine dependence
: Among those who initiate smoking, only one-third develop
examine how specific genes contribute to elements of nicotine dependence and preexisting
behavioral traits in genetically engineered mice. Our studies have revealed that
the expression of nicotine cue reactivity.


22q11 and neuropsychiatric disorders: The human genome includes many variations,
ranging from duplications and deletions of full chromosomes to single nucleotide
Children and adolescents with 22q11.2 duplications and deletions consistently exhibit these
neuropsychiatric disorders, along with associated cognitive and intellectual impairments
during development. However, the diagnosis of these neuropsychiatric disorders is
emergence of specific cognitive impairments remains unclear. Moreover, because
possible to determine whether segments or single genes are responsible for specific
have identified two small human 22q11.2 segments whose over-expression during
development causes behavioral phenotypes consistent with neuropsychiatric disorders.
behavioral phenotypes relevant to neuropsychiatric disorders in mice.

Selected Publications

Takahashi T, Okabe S, Broin PÓ, Nishi A, Ye K, Beckert MV, Izumi T, Machida A, Kang G, Abe S, Pena JL, Golden A, Kikusui T, Hiroi N. Structure and function of neonatal social communication in a genetic mouse model of autism. Mol Psychiatry. 2016, 21(9):1208-14.

Hishimoto A, Nomaru H, Ye K, Nishi A, Lim J, Aguilan JT, Nieves E, Kang G, Angeletti RH, Hiroi N. Molecular Histochemistry Identifies Peptidomic Organization and Reorganization Along Striatal Projection Units. Biol Psychiatry. 2016, 79(5):415-20.

Neonatal maternal separation alters the capacity of adult neural precursor cells to differentiate into neurons via methylation of retinoic acid receptor gene promoter  Biol Psychiatry 2015;77(4):335-44.
















Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Jack and Pearl Resnick Campus
1300 Morris Park Avenue
Golding Building, Room 104
Bronx, NY 10461

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Research Information