Research
The mechanisms underlying neuronal dysfunction in the basal ganglia and cortex in neurodegenerative disorders
Appointments
- Chair, Interdepartmental Undergraduate Program
- Professor, Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences
- Professor in Residence, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior
- Member, Center for Developmental Neurobiology (IDDRC)
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Studies
- Neuroengineering Training Program
- Neuroscience GPB Home Area
Biography
Our primary research interests are directed toward understanding the mechanisms underlying neuronal dysfunction in the basal ganglia and cortex in neurodegenerative disorders. The research consists of a multidisciplinary approach combining neurophysiological, morphological and molecular techniques. This research has evolved into several major projects:
- Examining the physiological changes in mutant mouse models of Huntington’s disease;
- Assessment of neuromodulation in the striatum as it pertains to Parkinson’s disease and assessment of new genetic mouse models of Parkinson’s disease;
- Examining cellular cortical electrophysiological and morphological abnormalities occurring in children suffering from intractable pediatric epilepsy.
Publications
- Xiao, Q, Levine, MS, Iverson, BL. Rethinking the Terms "π-Stacking" and "π-π Stacking" Again: A Proposal to Clarify the Language of Aromatic Interactions. J Am Chem Soc. 2026; :. doi: 10.1021/jacs.6c03371. PubMed PMID:41945708 .
- Yang, LM, Lu, Y, Levine, MS, Wang, X, Shi, YQ, Wang, FY et al.. Oxoisoaporphine Alkaloid Piano-Stool Arene Ruthenium(II) Derivative: A cGAS-STING-Mediated Chemoimmunotherapy Inducer that Acts as a Dual Catalytic Inhibitor of Topoisomerase I/II. J Am Chem Soc. 2026;148 (13):14514-14525. doi: 10.1021/jacs.6c01872. PubMed PMID:41910318 .
- Pérez-Benítez, J, Levine, MS, Lemaire, LA. Temporal Gatekeeping Role of Lmx1 during chordate neural tube morphogenesis. bioRxiv. 2026; :. doi: 10.64898/2026.03.04.709676. PubMed PMID:41867761 PubMed Central PMC13001491.
- Levine, MS, Li, J, Ehrlich, LIR, DePinho, RA, Iverson, B, Sessler, JL et al.. Viral mimicry may help explain immunogenic cell death. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2026;123 (11):e2537547123. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2537547123. PubMed PMID:41811449 PubMed Central PMC12993983.
- Choppakatla, P, Patel, AL, Borjigin, T, Udomlumleart, T, Hu, J, Gregor, T et al.. Loop Extrusion Accelerates Long-Range Enhancer-Promoter Searches in Living Embryos. bioRxiv. 2026; :. doi: 10.64898/2026.02.17.706355. PubMed PMID:41756876 PubMed Central PMC12934817.