Yotam Sagi, Ph.D.

The goal of my research is to identify new molecular mechanisms in neuronal types in regulating resilience, depression and cognition, and to elucidate the mechanisms of action of slow-acting and fast-acting antidepressants. I use cell type specific molecular tools to identify molecules, cell types, neuronal functions, and signaling pathways in rodent models. I implement behavioral paradigms and use cell-type specific molecular tools, chemogenetics, and in vivo photometry in transgenic mice to identify the roles of new molecules in specific cell types in learning and in inducing resilience to stress. Thus far, my studies elucidated novel roles for inhibitory interneuron populations in the ventral dentate gyrus in mediating anhedonia, susceptibility and resilience to stress, and cognition.