Lieber Institute for Brain Development

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Lieber Institute for Brain Development

Translating genetic insights into next generation treatments. LIBD partners with academic, pharmaceutical, foundation, and government agencies world-wide.

The Lieber Institute for Brain Development (LIBD) was established in 2010 through the historic gift of Constance & Stephen Lieber and Milton & Tamar Maltz as an independent, not-for-profit medical research institute with end-to-end capabilities under one roof. LIBD translates genetic insights into breakthrough treatments utilizing unparalleled resources in human brain tissue and human cell lines t

o understand the developmental origins of schizophrenia and related brain disorders. Affiliated with the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, LIBD is led by Dr. Daniel Weinberger, formerly the head of the Genes, Cognition and Psychosis Program at the National Institute of Mental Health, and includes a world-class team of scientists with over 200 years’ cumulative experience and 2,500 published scientific papers. The Institute is committed to a collaborative approach and invests in building research networks and partnerships to accelerate scientific discovery.

09/04/2026

Publication Highlight

We’re pleased to share the release of a new publication from Lieber Institute researchers Robin Magnard, Nicholas J. Eagles, Michael S. Totty, Patricia H. Janak, Leonardo Collado-Torres, and Kristen R. Maynard.

Published in Addiction Biology, the study, “Transcriptional Response to Chronic Long-Access Fentanyl Self-Administration in Rat Habenula and Amygdala,” examines transcriptional changes associated with chronic fentanyl self-administration in two brain regions involved in reward, motivation, stress, and addiction-related behaviors.

Research like this helps advance our understanding of the molecular adaptations associated with opioid exposure and may contribute to identifying biological mechanisms underlying addiction.

Congratulations to the authors on this important contribution to the field! 🧠🔬

09/02/2026

🎓 Congratulations, Dr. Aaron Salisbury!

Please join us in the comments in celebrating Aaron Salisbury on the successful defense of his PhD dissertation:

“Cortistatin neurons critically regulate stress-related behaviors and hyperexcitability in prelimbic cortex.”

This achievement represents years of dedication, curiosity, and important contributions to neuroscience research. We’re thrilled to celebrate this milestone and the beginning of the next chapter in Aaron’s scientific journey.

Congratulations, Dr. Salisbury! 🧠🎉

08/31/2026

Congratulations, Heena! 🎉

Please join us in congratulating Heena Divecha on being selected as a recipient of the Society for Neuroscience IRBO Travel Award!

This award recognizes Heena’s dedication to neuroscience research and supports her participation in the scientific community. We’re proud to celebrate this achievement and the continued work she is doing to advance our understanding of the brain.

Congratulations, Heena, on this well-deserved recognition! 🧠👏

08/28/2026

Publication alert! 🧠🔬

We’re proud to share the publication of “Molecular impact of ni****ne and smoking exposure on the developing and adult mouse brain” in Current Research in Neurobiology.

This collaborative study, authored by Daianna Gonzalez-Padilla, Nicholas J. Eagles, Marisol Cano, Geo Pertea, Kristen R. Maynard, Keri Martinowich, and Leonardo Collado-Torres, explores the molecular effects of ni****ne and smoking exposure on the brain across both developmental and adult stages.

Congratulations to all of the authors on this important contribution to our understanding of how ni****ne and smoking exposure can affect the brain at the molecular level! 🧠

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772392526000222?vcrmeid=D2gbeCnh0MHYSwv8gTKg&vcrmiid=ggDzJACdB0SpHYgbk2P0Dw

08/26/2026

Join us in giving a warm welcome to Sneha Ajay Sunitha who will be joining us at Lieber as a Research Associate. We are so blessed to have her on our team, and can’t wait to see all that she will do in her new position! 🖤❤️

08/24/2026

After more than 13 years at the Lieber Institute, we celebrate Yifang "Francis" Huang on his retirement.

Since joining LIBD in 2012, Francis has been an invaluable member of the Drug Discovery team, contributing to nearly every major chemistry initiative. His work helped advance several of LIBD's most important compounds, including LI-633, LI-482, and projects involving Nav1.8, GPR52, and COMT.

Thank you, Francis, for your years of dedication, mentorship, and scientific contributions. We wish you many happy years ahead filled with family, relaxation, and exciting new adventures.

08/21/2026

“The drug discovery team is uniquely placed to rapidly respond to the latest developments in psychiatry research. While neuroscience research is experiencing a slight resurgence within the pharmaceutical industry, most of this effort is focused on neurodegeneration and pain research. There is a huge need for groups like ours to discover and validate novel treatment strategies for psychiatric disorders."

James Barrow, PhD, Director of Drug Discovery

08/19/2026

The Lieber Institute has focused intensively on finding the root causes of developmental brain disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and su***de. Our work, however, is far from over. The science of genomics and brain development has cleared the way for entirely new approaches to predicting, preventing, and treating mental illness.

The discoveries of Lieber Institute scientists have chipped away at the critical questions of what causes mental illness and how we can prevent and treat it. We will continue to build upon those discoveries to dig even deeper into the workings of the human brain. Our science will provide relief for patients and their families who struggle with developmental brain disorders.

08/17/2026

❤️🧠Neuroscience for all 🧠❤️

Neuroscience research is the gateway to new treatments for mental illnesses such as depression and schizophrenia and neurological disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease. The AANRI is devoted to using genomic data from people of African ancestry to unravel the basic biological mechanisms behind these conditions and develop new treatments and diagnostic techniques to benefit all humans.

08/14/2026

Don’t miss the latest discoveries from the Lieber Institute! 🧠

From groundbreaking neuroscience research to exciting Institute updates, our newsletter brings the science straight to your inbox. Whether you’re passionate about brain health, research, or the future of medicine, there’s always something new to discover.

Sign up today, and stay connected. ✅ libd.org/subscribe

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