Associate Professor of Neurology in Pediatrics, Associate Professor of Neuroscience

Dr. Rajadhyaksha's current work is focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms of substance abuse and drug addiction, in addition to those contributing to mood disorders, often co-morbid with addiction. Her research is focused on how calcium signaling mechanisms in the brain, activated by voltage-gated L-type calcium channels, Ca_v1.2 and Ca_v1.3, contribute to cocaine- and mood-related behaviors. This is of particular importance and high significance given the recently identified link in patients between the Ca_v1.2 and Ca_v1.3 genes, CACNA1C and CACNA1D and neuropsychiatric disorders including bipolar disorder accompanied with high incidence of substance abuse.  Dr. Rajadhyaksha’s laboratory is utilizing animal models in combination with highly innovative genetic, cellular and molecular techniques to identify the neural circuitry and molecular mechanisms to better understand how genetic predisposition can contribute to addiction and neuropsychiatric illness.  Her group’s hope is that a better understanding of the brain at the molecular level will aid in therapeutic strategies for treating addiction and co-occurring mood-related conditions.