Department of Psychiatry



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   Ozlem Gunal, PHD, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Psychiatry
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Overview

Ozlem Bozdagi Gunal, MD, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. She received her MD, and PhD in Pharmacology from Hacettepe University in Turkey. She completed her post-doctoral studies at Duke University, and at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Neuroscience. Dr. Gunal has previously held faculty position at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Gunal?s work identifies the molecular mechanisms affecting neuronal function and plasticity in rodent models of neuropsychiatric disorders, including autism, intellectual disability, and addiction behavior. Her laboratory efforts combine electrophysiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, neuronal morphology, and behavioral characterization to translate basic neurobiology findings into effective treatments. A major line of investigation in the lab focuses on understanding the mechanisms by which cytoplasmic FMRP interacting protein 1 (Cyfip1) regulates synapse function and plasticity in developing neural circuits, and how the changes in Cyfip1 levels lead to several neuropsychiatric brain disorders. Dr. Gunal?s research is supported through grants from several foundations and the National Institute of Mental Health.

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