Research Theme:
Imaging & Computational Biology,
Research Interests:
imaging of structural & functional plasticity in the developing brain; growth and formation of dysfunctional neural networks; autism; schizophrenia; epilepsy
Biography:
Haas trained in electrophysiology, molecular biology and imaging. His research focuses on understanding molecular and cellular mechanisms of early brain circuit formation in normal and disease states, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). His laboratory takes a highly innovative approach by developing novel gene delivery and microscopy technologies for direct rapid imaging of neural growth and activity in the intact and awake developing brain. In order to understand the origins of ASD, Haas’s laboratory employs high-throughput human cell line assays to validate and characterize gene mutations identified in ASD individuals, and then to express these mutations in individual neurons within the intact developing brain to assess effects on neural structural and functional development.