Neurogenetics is the study of the genes that control development, function, and diseases of the nervous system. It also would include research that uses modern molecular biological methods to address genetic differences between normal and diseased nervous system, or uses the manipulations of genes to either produce or reduce disease states – often with a focus on genes known to be due to genetic mutations. Modern molecular biology provides power to our ability to probe the genetic bases of genetic disease and complex gene interactions to produce neurological disorders.

Some examples of faculty research in this domain include: molecular genetics of prion and Alzheimer’s diseases; genetic mutations of cell adhesion molecules that are associated with neurological syndromes; post-translational regulation of factors that control neural crest development; inherited metabolic disorders such as mucopolysaccharidosis type I; genetics of spinocerebellar ataxia; investigation of multiple neurological disorders using transgenic mouse lines, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson diseases, epilepsy, spinocerebellar ataxia; genes controlling early development of neuronal connections.



Hillary Handler



Laura Gammill  
Nicola Grissom  
Suma Jacob