Brain and nervous system disorders afflict more than two billion people worldwide. In addition to immeasurable human suffering, the annual economic burden of these illnesses has reached over $2 trillion. Most current neurotherapeutics are merely symptomatic and in many case they produce only moderate and/or transient clinical benefit. Thus there is unprecedented demand to develop more effective treatments that would delay, prevent or even cure chronic neurological and psychiatric illnesses.

Our laboratory investigates the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the neurotrophic and neuroplastic effects produced by anesthetics and sedatives. We combine standard in vivo and wet lab techniques with electroencephalogram (EEG) and quantitative proteomics. The ultimate goal is to translate our findings into clinic through collaborators.