Research
Emphasis Areas

Research Affiliates

Core Services
Behavioral Science Core

Brain Imaging Core

Cellular Morphology Core

Genetics Core

Infant Primate Research Laboratory Core

Instrument Development Laboratory Core

Enrique Villacres, M.D.

Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
Research Affiliate, Center on Human Development and Disability
enrique@u.washington.edu
206-731-8672
University of Washington, Box 359896
Seattle, WA 98195-9896

Dr. Villacres' research focus is on the function of adenylate cyclase in spatial learning and memory. He is also interested in the genetics of depression, anxiety disorders, and psychiatric disorders such as autism. Villacres also studies structural chromosomal abnormalities observed in individuals with autism in order to identify regions of the genome that may contain genes involved in this behavioral phenotype.

Genetic research on adenylate cyclase function in memory by Villacres and colleagues is usually done in mice, including long-term potentiation, Ca2⁺-sensitive adenylyl cyclase activity in I-AC mutants, and disruption of genes for II-AC and VII-AC in mice and characterizing them for spatial learning and various forms of LTP and LTD. He also clonesf translocation breakpoints in patients with autism. The goal is to identify genes that are disrupted by the breakpoints and then determine whether these genes contribute to neuropsychiatric phenotypes such as autism.

University of Washington • Center on Human Development and Disability Box 357920 • Seattle WA 98195-7920 USA • 206-543-7701 • chdd@u.washington.edu