Responsibilities
Director and Scientific Member
Contact
Kraepelinstr. 2
D-80804 Munich
Phone:
+49 (0)89 / 30622-492
Email:
alon_chen@psych.mpg.de
Website:
http://www.psych.mpg.de/1495995/chen
Further Information
Research focus: Understanding the neurobiology of stress by centering on the specific genes and brain circuits, which are associated with, or altered by, the stress response, will provide important insights into the brain mechanisms by which stress affects psychological and physiological disorders. Our Department focuses on integrated multidisciplinary projects from gene to behavior using state-of-the-art mouse genetics and animal models. We employ integrated molecular, biochemical, pharmacological, physiological and behavioral methods, converging on the generation of genetic mouse models as an in vivo tool, in order to study the central pathways and molecular mechanisms mediating the organism's stress response. Defining the contributions of known and novel gene products to the maintenance of stress-linked homeostasis may improve our ability to design therapeutic interventions for, and thus manage, stress-related psychiatric disorders.
Key words: Stress neurobiology, neurogenetics
Graduated GSN students: Dr. Ghabiba Weston