We are so proud to announce the selection of Dr. Sanchez-Roige as the 2019-2020 Young Investigator whom we are supporting through our partnership with the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. Sandra is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Biomedical Research Facility, University of California, San Diego.
Dr. Sanchez-Roige’s newly formed laboratory is identifying the genetic basis of a range of psychiatric disorders including BPD that are characterized by high levels of impulsivity which can lead to risky and maladaptive behavior. She will use this grant to study the role of a specific gene, CADM2, believed to be associated with impulsivity. Using mice in which the gene is knocked out, she seeks to discover the gene’s role in modulating impulsive behavior and synapse morphology.
Thanking us for our financial support, Sandra expressed the hope that future understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying impulsive behavior can lead to new treatments, preventive mechanisms, and personalized medicine, which are sadly lacking or currently ineffective.
Dr. Sandra Sanchez-Roige will be a plenary speaker at the 2020 NYU/Nature Neurogenetics Conference currently scheduled for July 28-29. The Conference will focus on how genes affect brain development, function and disease risk, and will help to bridge the gap between geneticists and neuroscientists.