Unravelling molecular mechanisms of mental health

Researchers from the Department of Chemistry, housed in the Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, have been awarded a multi-million-dollar, multi-year contract as part of Wellcome Leap’s Multi-Channel Psych (MCPsych) program. The team, consisting of PI Carol Robinson, Co-PIs Corinne Lutomski and Tarick El-Baba, complemented with -omics expertise from Di Wu, will investigate molecular mechanisms of anhedonia. Together the team will develop new mass spectrometry methods to investigate receptors and transporters in the blood brain barrier of patients affected by anhedonic depression.

Carol and her team are known for developing mass spectrometry tools that make it possible to track composition and interactions of proteins through changes in mass. Using these tools, the team will investigate how proteins found in the brain are modified during anhedonic depression. The team aim to contribute to improved diagnostic metrics and treatment regimens for this devastating form of depression.

“It is particularly exciting to take on this new research challenge, it is an area of great personal interest and it is particularly timely given recent breakthroughs in the biology of anhedonia. We see this opportunity as the culmination of decades of our work in the field of mass spectrometry” comments Carol.