David Farb

As head of the Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Prof. Farb focuses on the identification of pharmacological treatments for disorders of learning and memory function. His research integrates existing electrophysiological, behavioral, pharmacological, and molecular genetic technologies in a novel systems-level platform for assessing the impact of cognitive enhancers such as neuroactive steroids upon fundamental hippocampal systems for pattern separation (encoding), and pattern completion (retrieval), that are believed to be essential for cognition in all mammals, including man. Deficits in aspects of episodic memory dependent on hippocampal function are evident in a variety of mental disorders, including schizophrenia, autism, Alzheimer’s Disease, and normal aging. Existing pharmacotherapies are limited and carry substantial risk of adverse effects.

The Laboratory of Molecular Biology has a strong history of using a multidisciplinary approach that includes electrophysiological techniques combined with classic behavioral and molecular biological methods to investigate the mechanisms and modalities of novel therapeutics and advance the treatment of disorders and diseases of the nervous system.