Brigitta Gundersen, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist and Scientific Lead, Animal Models, SFARI

Science

Brigitta Gundersen joined the foundation in 2016 as a member of the team of scientists responsible for managing SFARI’s autism grant portfolio. In particular, she focuses on grants involving work in animal models employing behavioral, electrophysiological and molecular approaches. She is also responsible for overseeing the Autism Rat Consortium.

Gundersen earned her undergraduate degree in biology from Stanford University and her Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of Pennsylvania. Her graduate work, in the laboratory of Julie Blendy, focused on uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying the behavioral effects of antidepressants in mouse models. Following her graduate work, Gundersen joined Nature Neuroscience as a scientific editor, where she coordinated peer review of papers across the entire field of neuroscience (specializing in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders), as well as writing for the journal and organizing special focus issues and international meetings.

Latest Content Authored

Paraventricular oxytocin neurons support social behavior

Garret Stuber and colleagues used in vivo calcium imaging to show that a population of oxytocin-positive (OT) neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus responds preferentially to social stimuli and is necessary for regulating social behavior. Reduced number of OT neurons was associated with social deficits in Shank3b KO mice.

Shank3 mutation R1117X affects interneuron function

Alex Kwan and colleagues used in vivo calcium imaging to show that a mutation in Shank3 associated with schizophrenia affects the activity of inhibitory neurons in the cortex, ultimately leading to enhanced activity of excitatory neurons and altered behavior in mice.