Lauren Orefice, PhD
Assistant, Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Assistant Professor of Genetics, Harvard Medical School.
Research Focus
Development, function and dysfunction of somatosensory systems.
Brief Research Description
Our lab studies the development and function somatosensory circuits that mediate our sense of touch and sensations from the gastrointestinal system. We are also interested in the dysfunction of these circuits, and how this applies to disorders such as autism spectrum disorders, so that we may identify novel therapeutic approaches.
Key Publications (PMCIDs)
Targeting peripheral somatosensory neurons to improve tactile and behavioral phenotypes in ASD.
Orefice LL, Mosko JR, Morency DT, Wells MF, Tasnim A, Mozeika SM, Ye M, Chirila AM, Emanuel AJ, Rankin G, Fame RM, Lehtinen MK, Feng G, Ginty DD.
PMID: 1398341
Peripheral mechanosensory neuron dysfunction underlies tactile and behavioral deficits in mouse models of ASD.
Orefice LL, Zimmerman AL, Chirila AM, Sleboda SJ, Head JP, Ginty DD.
PMCID: PMC5567792
Outside-In: rethinking the etiology of autism spectrum disorders.
Orefice LL.
PMID: 31604296