Houseknecht Laboratory - Mood, Metabolism & Medicine

Karen Houseknecht's NIH-funded research program lies at the interface of neuroscience and endocrinology/metabolism. Whether studying drugs of abuse or psychiatric medications, the research focuses on the underlying pharmacology (efficacy) and mechanisms of adverse events (safety). Karen's integrative approach focuses particularly on central nervous system regulation of whole-body energy metabolism (including diabetes). The lab also focuses on on novel therapeutic discovery, leading pharmacology and drug metabolism efforts to identify and develop new safer and more efficacious medications for the treatment of disorders including diabetes/insulin resistance, mood disorders, chronic pain and bioterrorism threats.