Edmund Au, PhD

Profile Navigation

Overview
Credentials & Experience
Research

Overview

Email: ea2515@cumc.columbia.edu

Academic Appointments

Assistant Professor of Pathology & Cell Biology

Gender

Male

Credentials & Experience

Honors & Awards

Whitehall Foundation Grant 2017
Irving Institute CaMPR BASIC Grant 2017

Research

The Au lab studies cortical interneurons, a diverse population of locally-projecting GABAergic cells. They are involved in regulating spike timing, signal refinement and cortical oscillations, all of which are critical to normal brain function. We are primarily focused on how cortical interneurons wire into cortical circuitry developmentally, as well as their role in mental illness.
Our general approach is to apply developmental genetics to the differentiation of stem cells into specific interneuron subtypes. In order to study these cells in their native environment, they are transplanted in utero and we study their integration into host cortex. Since stem cells start off as a blank slate, we have the opportunity to manipulate various stages of interneuron differentiation and maturation by manipulating the cells in vitro. In this manner, we can therefore delve into molecular mechanisms that govern the process of microcircuit assembly.
Dysfunction in cortical interneurons has been linked to a number of diseases including autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, epilepsy and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. We are interested in employing stem cell-based approaches to model neuropsychiatric disorders in order to study underlying disease mechanisms. From these studies we hope to pave the way towards more directed, specific and effective treatments for psychiatric ailments.

Research Interests

Cell Lineage Specification
Models of Psychiatric Illness
Neuronal Migration
Synaptic Specificity

Selected Publications

McKenzie MG, Cobbs LV, Dummer PD, Petros TJ, Halford MM, Stacker SA, Zou Y, Fishell GJ, Au E. (2019) Non-Canonical Wnt-Signaling through Ryk Regulates the Generation of Somatostatin- and Parvalbumin-Expressing Cortical Interneurons. Neuron. 103(5): 853-64.
Karayannis* T, Au E*, Patel J., Kruglikov I., Markx S., Delorme R., Heron D, Glessner J., Restituito S., Gordon A., Roy N.C., Gogos J., Rudy B., Rice M.E., Karyiorgou M., Hakonarson H., Bourgeron T., Hoeffer C., Tsien R.W., Peles E., Fishell G. (2014) Cntnap4 differentially contributes to GABAergic and Dopaminergic Synaptic Transmission. Nature. 511(7508): 236-40.
Au E., Ahmed T, Karayannis T., Biswas S., Gan L., Fishell G. (2013) A modular gain-offunction approach to generate cortical interneuron subtypes from ES cells. Neuron. 80(5): 1145-58.
Au E., Fishell G. (2008) Cortex shatters glass ceiling. Cell Stem Cell 3(5): 472-4.
Au E., Richter M.W., Vincent A.J., Tetzlaff W., Aebersold R., Sage E.H., Roskams A.J. (2007) SPARC from olfactory ensheathing cells stimulates Schwann cells to promote neurite outgrowth and enhances spinal cord repair. The Journal of Neuroscience. 27(27): 7208-21.
Au E, Fishell, G. (2006) Adult cortical neurogenesis: nuanced, negligible or nonexistent? Nature Neuroscience. 9: 1086-1088.


For a complete list of publications, please visit PubMed.gov