Kazuhito Toyooka

Biography:

Kazuhito Toyooka, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy at Drexel University College of Medicine. His research examines the cellular and molecular mechanisms of cortical development and their disruption in autism spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental disorders. He studies ADNP and 14-3-3 proteins, including how 14-3-3 proteins regulate ADNP localization and how ADNP affects neurite formation, dendritic spine development, neuronal connectivity, and neuronal activity. His laboratory uses mouse models, primary neuronal cultures, in utero electroporation, CRISPR/Cas9, molecular biology, and functional analyses to determine how disease-associated gene dysfunction alters cortical circuit formation.