I am an Assistant Professor in Psychiatry at the Iowa Neuroscience Institute, where my research focuses on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of neuropsychiatric disorders. My lab uses transgenic mice and patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to investigate how psychiatric risk genes, such as voltage-gated calcium and sodium channels, alter neurodevelopment and behavior in vitro and in vivo. I have a broad background in developmental and behavioral neuroscience. I am also a practicing board-certified psychiatrist, and I have committed my research and clinical career to improving our understanding and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. My lab uses genetic, molecular, and behavioral methods to unravel how ion channel dysfunction in neurons contributes to complex brain disorders, all of which are developmental in nature. The research that is most directly relevant to the Hawk-IDDRC is my collaborative work with Dr. Chris Ahern on SCN2A syndrome. SCN2A mutations are associated with epilepsy and autism, and we have generated iPSC lines from SCN2A syndrome patients with premature stop codons (PTCs) in order to better understand SCN2A syndrome neuropathology and to test potential gene therapy approaches. We have also generated mice with SCN2A mutations that correspond to human disease-causing mutations, which provides an exciting opportunity for preclinical trials of tRNA-based strategies to correct mutations.