Dr. Sergiu Pasca Receives Award from American College of Neuropsychopharmacology

Congratulations to NYSCF – Robertson Stem Cell Investigator and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University Sergiu Pasca, MD, for receiving the 2018 Daniel H. Efron Research Award. This award, presented by the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, recognizes outstanding contributions to the field as part of preclinical work or work that emphasizes the interface between basic and clinical research.

Dr. Pasca’s lab studies the underlying mechanisms that govern human brain function, focusing on how the brain develops normally and in neuropsychiatric disease. Dr. Pasca is known for his pioneering work in using stem cells to create 3D aggregates of brain tissue called “organoids”. Organoids provide an environment for cells to interact the way they would in an actual human brain, allowing researchers to observe development, study disease, and test drugs. It is Dr. Pasca’s hope that his work will lead to better treatments for conditions such as autism or schizophrenia.

Check out some of Dr. Pasca’s recent research advances here:

Region-specific brain organoids

Brain organoids review

New York Times article on medical breakthroughs