Mall Family Endowed Professor for Genetic Autism Research
Bio
Dr. Lucas Pozzo-Miller completed his university studies in Biology (1986) and earned his Doctorate in Biology (1989), both from the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina. He trained as postdoctoral fellow at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland OH (1990-1992), and at the former Roche Institute of Molecular Biology, Nutley NJ (1992-1995). Dr. Pozzo-Miller performed summer research at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole MA (1994 Grass Foundation Fellow and 1995 Lakian Foundation Fellow), and was a Senior Staff Fellow at NINDS, NIH, Bethesda MD (1995-1998). Dr. Pozzo-Miller worked in the Department of Neurobiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham for 25 years, and recently moved to the Department of Pediatrics & Human Development at Michigan State University as the inaugural Mall Family Endowed Professor for Genetic Autism Research. Lucas Pozzo-Miller works towards the understanding of the cellular bases of cognitive dysfunction in experimental models of neurodevelopmental disorders with autism, with the main goal of testing novel therapies in preclinical studies. Currently, the lab works on a genetic mouse model of Rett syndrome, a monogenic neurodevelopmental disorder with autistic features that affects girls and women because the gene that carries mutations is located in the X chromosome. We are testing if enhancing the function of the trophic factor BDNF in Rett mutant mice improves their social cognition.
Education and Training
Biologist (1985), Master in Science (1986), PhD in Biology (1989), Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, Argentina
Teaching Responsibilities
Neuroscience courses (undergraduate, graduate, and medical students)
Selected Grants
- R01-MH130862-01 (07/01/2022 – 06/30/2027), The Role of CHD7 in ACC neurons, Kai Jiao (MPI); Lucas Pozzo-Miller (MPI); Qin Wang (corresponding MPI)
Selected recent publications
Research articles
Medeiros D, L Polepalli, W Li & L Pozzo-Miller (2025). Altered activity of mPFC pyramidal neurons and parvalbumin-expressing interneurons during social interactions in a Mecp2 mouse model for Rett syndrome. Journal of Neurophysiology (doi: 10.1152/jn.00360.2025).
Bilinovich S, S Chhetri, J Mitchell, G Leighton, V Jdanov, J Zieba, T Cook, K Engel, R Vaughan, H Bhatti, S Heeringa, A Wilstermann, S Vanderweele, A Das, E Sherry, S Duncan, K Uhl, D Hinds, M Mackiewicz, S Meadows, K Newberry, E Partridge, S Cline, C Shepard, D Smith, A Bradley, D Vogt, D Campbell, L Pozzo-Miller, C Bupp, A Goodyke, S Rajasekaran, R Knickmeyer, B Blair, C Krawczyk, T Triche, R Myers, E Mendenhall, D Williams & J Prokop (2025). Methyl CpG Binding Domain as a protein interaction partner in promoter regulation and neurodevelopment through evolutionary expanded entanglement. American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology 329: C848–C867 (doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00749.2024).
Medeiros D, K Ayala-Baylon, H Egido-Betancourt, E Miller, CA Chapleau, HA Robinson, ML Phillips, T Yang, FM Longo, W Li & L Pozzo-Miller (2024). A small-molecule TrkB ligand improves dendritic spine phenotypes and atypical behaviors in female Rett syndrome mice. Disease Models & Mechanisms 17(6):dmm050612 (doi: 10.1242/dmm.050612). 2024 Outstanding Paper Prize (doi.org/10.1242/dmm.052481).
Reviews
Gold WA, AK Percy, JL Neul, SR Cobb, L Pozzo-Miller, JK Issar, B Ben-Zeev, A Vignoli & WE Kaufmann (2024). Rett Syndrome. Nature Reviews Disease Primers 80: 24.
Book chapters
L Pozzo-Miller & Anne Theibert (2019). Development of the Nervous System: The Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems. In: Essentials of Modern Neuroscience, F. Amthor, A. Theibert, D. Standaert, E. Roberson (Eds.), pp. 27-44. New York: McGraw Hill.
Awards and Honors
2023-2025 Member Scientific Advisory Board, International Rett Syndrome Foundation (IRSF).
2018-2024 Member of NIH Study Section (NDPR); Chair: Oct 2022 – June 2024, Oct 2021, Feb 2019; Alternate Chair: Jun 2022, Jun 2021, Feb 2021, Jun 2020, Jun 2019.
2018, 2020-22 Chair, Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, Department of Defense.
2018 Editorial Board, Learning & Memory.
2015-2021 Member of the Faculty Council (Promotions & Tenure Committee), School of Medicine, UAB.
2014-2019 Associate Editor, The Journal of Neuroscience.
2013-2014 Chair NIH Study Sections NICHD Fragile X Research Centers.
2011 Chair Working Group, NIH Workshop on “Setting Priorities for Therapy Development in Rett Syndrome”, Bethesda, MD.
2009 Editorial Board, Journal of Neurophysiology.
2008 Member Scientific Review Board, Rettsyndrome.org
2008-2012 Member of NIH Study Section (NTRC).
2002-2006 Member of NIH Study Section (MNPS).
1999 NIH Fellows Award for Research Excellence.
1995 The Lakian Foundation Fellowship at the MBL, Woods Hole, MA. Rodolfo Llinás, Mentor.
1994 The Grass Foundation Fellowship in Neurophysiology, Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), Woods Hole, MA. Rodolfo Llinás, Mentor.
1992 Postdoctoral Fellowship, Roche Institute of Molecular Biology, Hoffman LaRoche, Nutley, NJ. John Connor, Mentor.