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Stanley Institute for Cognitive Genomics

The Stanley Institute for Cognitive Genomics is dedicated to genetics and neuroscience research that will enhance our understanding of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression and other cognitive disorders. The goal is to improve the diagnosis and treatment of these disorders.

Work at the Stanley Institute for Cognitive Genomics at CSHL is funded by gifts from Theodore and Vada Stanley and grants from the
National Institute of Mental Health.

Stanley InstituteSchizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major recurrent depression are cognitive disorders that create an enormous burden on patients, their families and our health care system.

Because vulnerability to these disorders tends to run in families, genetics is a factor; however the specific genetic components involved and how they impact symptoms or treatments of these disorders has yet to be fully worked out.  With recent advances in genomic technologies, CSHL is now poised to unravel the genetic complexity of cognitive disorders. Simultaneously, advanced technologies in neuroscience are allowing CSHL researchers to understand how the brain assembles neural circuits to control behaviors and cognitive processes like attention and decision-making. At the CSHL Stanley Institute for Cognitive Genomics, these two approaches – genetics and neuroscience – are integrated to form a dual-strategy aimed at improving the diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and other cognitive disorders.

Researchers at CSHL began working on the genetics of cognitive disorders in 2005 following a generous gift from Ted and Vada Stanley. Under the leadership of James Watson, this effort grew substantially in 2007 with a gift from the Stanley’s to establish the Stanley Institute for Cognitive Genomics. At that time, new DNA sequencing technologies, called “Next Generation Sequencing” were being developed. CSHL Professor and sequencing pioneer W. Richard McCombie was one of the first to apply this technology to study the genetics of cognitive disorders putting the Stanley Institute on the map.

With the goal of improving diagnosis and the potential for personalized therapy, the Stanley Center began applying state-of-the-art genomics technologies to identify genetic variants contributing to schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression. Together with collaborators in the U.S., Scotland, Ireland, Pakistan and Australia, CSHL focused first on sequencing the complete genomes or protein coding regions of the genomes of families that had many members suffering from mental illness. One of the key findings demonstrated an overlap among genes contributing to schizophrenia and autism. CSHL also showed a link between the genes involved in the modification of chromatin structure and schizophrenia.

In 2014, with continuing support from Ted and Vada Stanley, the Stanley Institute incorporated the efforts of CSHL neuroscientists focused on understanding how brain circuits assemble and function. Like the genetics group, neuroscientists are developing and applying new technologies, including sophisticated brain mapping technologies and novel behavioral paradigms for studying decision making, attention and other processes. Stanley Institute neuroscientists are now studying the function of genes that have been implicated in cognitive disorders.

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