Genetics

Work focuses on improving our understanding of the neurobiology of substance use disorders (SUDs) by identifying and characterizing neurocognitive biomarkers and intermediate phenotypes.

Dr. Busby-Whitehead is the M. Andrew Greganti Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Chief of the Division of Geriatrics, and Director of the Center for Aging and Health at the UNC School of Medicine. She is also the Co-Lead for the ADRC Research Education Component (REC) Core. She is committed to the preservation and improvement of patient health through research and to funded programs that serve to develop and increase the reach of geriatric education and training of physicians and healthcare professionals in the field of aging.

Research interests include studying neurodevelopmental disorders across the lifespan, including Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, Angelman syndrome, and Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, and the relationship between early neurodevelopmental conditions and later neurodegeneration.

1) How do childhood experiences shape aging and the course of health inequalities across the life span? (2) How do genetic differences between people shape the way they respond to their environments? (3) What are the best ways to assess and measure personality differences between people?

Current research interests: a) the genetic determinants and disease relevance of ferroptosis; b)a new stress pathway – mammalian stress response; c) genomic and single cell RNA analysis of red blood cells

Focused on understanding the protein folding problem and defining cellular responses to proteotoxic stress. A central focus is understanding how Hsp70 molecular chaperones mediate protein triage and determine the fate of misfolded proteins.

Researches the use of methods in biochemistry, proteomics, cell biology, and animal behavior to understand brain function and how disruptions in brain function contribute to cognitive disorders.

Brain tumors; Multiple Sclerosis; Autism; Alzheimer Disease; Application of single cell and spatial technologies to basic and translational research

My research interests are focused on developing and applying statistical methods to search for genes causing common human diseases. Recent work has been in the development of statistical methods for genetic studies and in identifying optimal study designs for genetic studies of complex traits.

Ocular genetics and age related macular degeneration.

1. Investigate a neurodevelopmental disorder, Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, which has the potential to provide insight into the pathophysiological mechanism of a neurodegenerative disorders, Alzheimer’s Disease. 2. In collaboration with Dr. Cathrine Hoyo, we are investigating an epigenetic mechanism to explain the racial disparities in the development of Alzheimer’s disease between underrepresented minorities and European Americans. 3. I am interested in clinically characterizing the long-term cognitive and behavioral consequences in convalescent COVID-19 patients.

We are interested in the molecular mechanisms underlying chemosensation (taste and smell) in mammals. The receptors that detect odorants, pheromones, and many tastants including bitter and sweet chemicals are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), which typically have seven transmembrane domains.

Genetic and environmental factors in susceptibility to neurodevelopmental disorders, and preclinical efficacy testing with novel therapeutic agents, using mouse models for psychiatric and neurological conditions.

Clinical pharmacy; pharmacoepidemiology; Geriatrics; health services research; Medicare administrative data; polypharmacy; deprescribing chronic medications that may no longer have value for patients

Cardiovascular disease and associated risk factors.

In my research program, I use human genomics and multi-omics to understand inherited and environmental risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and related quantitative traits, with a focus on improved inclusion of African American and Hispanic/Latino populations in these efforts.

Dr. Roberts is a program evaluator for multiple programs that serve to develop and increase the reach of geriatric education and training of physicians and healthcare professionals, as well as researchers, in the field of aging.

My research expertise includes modeling and forecasting for biomedical demography and health/LTC actuarial practice.

My lab studies neural circuit basis of sensory perception. Specifically we are interested in determining neural circuits underlying (1) active touch sensation including tactile processing stream and motor control of touch sensors on the face; (2) pain sensation including both sensory-discriminative and affective aspects of pain; and (3) general anesthesia including the active pain-suppression process.