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Edward
S. Brodkin
Assistant
Professor of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry
Genetics
and Gene Regulation Program
Address
Center
for Neurobiology and Behavior
Translational Research Laboratory, Room 2220
125 South 31st Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3403
Office tel.:215-746-0118
Lab tel.: 215-746-0386
Fax: 215-573-2041
E-mail: ebrodkin@mail.med.upenn.edu
Link(s)
Dr
Brodkin at the Dept of Psychiatry
Education
Harvard
University (History of Science) B.A.
1988
Harvard Medical School M.D. 1992.
Yale-New Haven Medical Center, Intern in Pediatrics, 1992-1993.
Yale University School of Medicine, Resident in Psychiatry,
1993-1996.
Yale University School of Medicine, laboratory of Eric J.
Nestler, M.D., Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow (Neuroscience),
1996-1998.
Princeton University, laboratory of Lee M. Silver, Ph.D.,
Postdoctoral Fellow (Genetics), 1998-2002
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Research
Interests
- Genetic analysis of social behaviors (aggressive
and affiliative behaviors) and related brain phenotypes
in mouse models relevant to autism and schizophrenia.
Key words: genetics; complex traits;
quantitative trait locus (QTL); behavior; brain; social; affiliation;
aggression; autism; mouse.
Description
of Research
Research in the Brodkin laboratory is focused
on the genetic analysis of complex behavioral and neurobiological
traits. In particular, we are interested in the genetic analysis
of social behaviors (aggressive and affiliative behaviors)
and related brain phenotypes in mouse models relevant to autism
and schizophrenia. These two disorders are characterized by
extremely disabling disturbances in social behaviors, but
the fundamental biology of these social behaviors is not well
understood.
In a whole genome scan, we identified quantitative trait loci
(QTLs) on chromosome 10 and chromosome X that affect intermale
aggressive behaviors in a cross of NZB/B1NJ and A/J inbred
mice (Brodkin et al 2002). By breeding and phenotyping interval-specific
congenic strains, we have narrowed the relevant chromosome
10 QTL interval to < 10 cM. We are continuing fine genetic
mapping of this region, and are studying the brain expression
of candidate genes in the chromosome 10 interval.
We also have identified differences between
BALB/cJ and C57BL/6J inbred mouse strains in sociability (tendency
to seek social interaction) and other behavioral and brain
endophenotypes (brain size, corpus callosum development) relevant
to autism (Brodkin 2007; Sankoorikal et al 2006). We are initiating
a QTL analysis of these behavioral and brain phenotypes. We
are also studying sociability in a series of mouse lines with
mutations in genes relevant to autism and schizophrenia.
Selected
Publications
Brodkin ES, Goforth SA, Keene AH, Fossella JA,
Silver LM (2002) Identification of quantitative trait loci
that affect aggressive behavior in mice. Journal of Neuroscience,
22:1165-1170.
Brodkin ES (2005) Quantitative trait locus analysis
of aggressive behaviours in mice. In: Molecular Mechanisms
Influencing Aggressive Behaviours, Novartis Foundation Symposium
268 (Bock G. and Goode J., eds) Chichester, England: John
Wiley & Sons Ltd, pp. 57-69; discussion 69-77, 96-99.
Sankoorikal GMV, Kaercher KA, Boon CJ, Lee JK,
Brodkin ES (2006) A mouse model system for genetic analysis
of sociability: C57BL/6J vs. BALB/cJ inbred mouse strains.
Biological Psychiatry, 59:415-423.
Brodkin ES (2007) BALB/cJ mice: low sociability
and other phenotypes that may be relevant to autism. Behavioural
Brain Research (Special Issue: Animal Models for Autism),
176:53-65.
Gillihan S.J., Farah M.J., Sankoorikal G.M.V.,
Breland J., Brodkin E.S. (2007) Association between serotonin
transporter genotype and extraversion. Psychiatric Genetics,
17:351-354.
Search PubMed for more articles
Lab
Rotation
Projects
- Fine genetic mapping of a genomic region
(a quantitative trait locus (QTL) region) that affects aggressive
behaviors in mouse
- Candidate gene analysis in an aggression
QTL on mouse chromosome 10
- Genetic analysis of sociability (tendency
to seek social behaviors) in a mouse model system relevant
to autism
- Genetic analysis of brain phenotypes relevant
to autism (brain weight, corpus callosum development) in
a mouse model system relevant to autism
- Lab
personnel:
- Holly Dow, research specialist
Andrew Fairless, graduate student
Arati S. Kreibich, postdoctoral fellow
Junhao Tan, undergraduate
Matthew Torre, undergraduate.
last updated 7/2008
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