The Institute for Translational Neuroscience (ITN) investigates how pharmacologic interventions shape emotion, motivation, and cognition, and how these processes become dysregulated in disorders such as depression, anxiety, trauma, and addiction.
 

Historically, ITN research integrated molecular pharmacology and animal models to define the neural mechanisms that underlie stress, reward, and decision-making. Those foundational studies established the institute’s mechanistic grounding—mapping receptor systems, neural circuitry, and behavioral outcomes across species.

Building on that background, the group’s focus has shifted toward clinical and translational research. Current work centers on human trials that evaluate novel compounds and therapeutic frameworks for psychiatric conditions. Recent studies have examined "psychedelic" compounds including MDMA and psilocybin, as experimental probes for understanding how altered neurochemistry can drive enduring psychological change and potentially as treatments for neuropsychiatric conditions.
 

Through this evolution—from molecular discovery to human application—the institute maintains the same core goal: to bridge experimental pharmacology with psychiatry, preserving scientific rigor while pushing neuroscience toward tangible clinical relevance.