---
# System prepended metadata

title: '**Neuroscience Research Laboratory**'
tags: [IMHANS, neuroscience lab]

---

# **Neuroscience Research Laboratory**

We work on fundamental and translational research questions in neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. We also aim to provide advanced molecular and neurophysiological diagnostic services for patient care. The laboratory was set up as a part of the Centre of Excellence grant from the Government of India.

#### **Molecular Biology Division:** 

The laboratory works on delineating genetic basis of neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. The laboratory further address research questions to elucidate the molecular pathogenesis of these disorders.

#### **Neurophysiology Division:** 
The laboratory is mainly involved in neurophysiological evaluation for clinical diagnosis. Experimental approaches to address research questions pertaining to cognition and behavior is also pursued.

### **Research area:** 
We are interested in the discovery of novel genetic risk factors for neuropsychiatric diseases. We further aim to mechanistically evaluate the genetic risk factors by molecular, cellular, neurophysiological, and behavioural phenotyping to characterise molecular pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric diseases for druggable targets and biomarkers.

* Impact of carbonyl stress in synergy with genetic risk for schizophrenia pathogenesis
(*Investigators: Shabeesh Balan, Mubashira V, Rajith Ravindren*)
* Identifying biomarkers for drug-resistant tourette syndrome
(*Investigators: Rajith Ravindren, Shabeesh Balan*)
* Machine learning-based spectral analysis and Latent Content Analysis to identify the semantic content from malayalam language to be used as a potential biomarker for psychosis
(*Investigators: Rajith Ravindren, Shabeesh Balan*)
* Electrophysiological and sleep characterisation in familial somniloquy
(*Investigators: Nishanth JH, Rajith Ravindren, Shibila AM*)
* Genetic correlates of sensory processing deficits in autism spectrum disorders
(*Investigators: Midhun S, Shabeesh Balan*)

### **Diagnostic Services:**
* **Karyotyping:** Peripheral blood chromosomal analysis for detecting numerical and structural chromosome abnormalities.
* **Mutation Analysis:** Genotyping service for genetic variants.
* **Genetic counselling:** Genetic counselling services for patients and at-risk individuals. 

### **Facilities:**
The laboratory has a state-of-the-art facility to address research questions to elucidate the pathogenesis of psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders and for advanced clincal diagnosis.

**Molecular biology:** Sanger sequencer, Thermal cyclers (normal and Realtime), Flouroscent microscope, Plate readers, Basic molecular biology and microbiology facility, Stem cell biology laboratory

**Neurophysiology:** Video Electroencephalography (EEG), Polysomnography (PSG), Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry (BERA), Visual Evoked Potential (VEP), Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS) and Electromyography (EMG)

### **Members:**

**[Shabeesh Balan, Ph.D.](https://linktr.ee/shabeeshbalan)** <br/> Scientist D  (Department of Health Research NRI Faculty Fellow) <br/> [Email](mailto:shabeeshbalan@imhans.ac.in) 

**[Rajith K Ravindren, M.D (Psychiatry)](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rajith-Ravindren)** <br/> Assistant Professor,<br/> Department of Psychiatry, IMHANS <br/> [Email](mailto:rajith@imhans.ac.in)

**[Ranjitha M, M.Sc. (Biomedical Genetics)]()** <br/> Technician – Cytogenetics, <br/> Genetic counselor (Board of Genetic Counseling certfied; Level- 1) <br/> [Email](mailto:ranjitha@imhans.ac.in)

**[Mubashira V, M.Sc. (Biotechnology) ]()** <br/> Junior Research Fellow <br/> (DHR project) - Molecular Psychiatry <br/> [Email](mailto:mubashira.101@gmail.com)



**[Shibila A M, Diploma in Neuro Technology (DNT)]()** <br/> Laboratory Assistant - Neurophysiology <br/> [Email](mailto:)

**[Midhun S, M.D (Psychiatry)]()** <br/> Visiting Researcher (PhD Scholar)<br/> Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, <br/> Government Medical College, Kozhikode <br/> [Email](mailto:)

**[Nishanth JH, M.D (Psychiatry)]()** <br/> Visiting Researcher, <br/>Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry,<br/> Government Medical College, Kozhikode <br/> [Email](mailto:)

### **Former Members:**
**[Devangana Rajan]()** <br/> Research Intern (University of Glasgow) <br/> [Email](mailto:)

### **Collaborations:**
* Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College Calicut, Kerala
* Department of Pathology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Kerala
* Laboratory for Computational and Structural Biology, Jubilee Mission Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Kerala

### **Research Grants:**


| Funding agency | Project | Cost  | Investigators  |
|-----------------|-------------|---------------|---------------|
| Science Research Scheme (SRS), Kerala State Council for Science, Technology & Environment (KSCSTE),India | Elucidating the mechanistic role of sleep quality for elevated carbonyl stress in schizophrenia  | 300K | PI: Rajith K Ravindren, Co-PI: Shabeesh Balan, Anish P K |
|Department of Health Research (DHR), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India|Synergestic effect of genetic risk factor and the carbonyl stress in schizophrenia|586K|PI: Shabeesh Balan , Co-PI: Rajith K Ravindren|
| State Board for Medical Research (SBMR), Kerala, India | Molecular genetics of Tourette Syndrome|100K|PI: Rajith K Ravindren, Co-PI: Shabeesh Balan|
| State Board for Medical Research (SBMR), Kerala, India | Vitamin D deficiency in patients with schizophrenia and Autism|100K|PI: Rajith K Ravindren, Co-PI: Midhun S, Krishnakumar P|

### **Selected Publications:**
* Nishanth, J. H., **Balan, S.**, **Rajith, R.K.** (2022) [Fluoxetine induced acute urinary retention in a child with depression](), *The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders* (in Press)
* **Rajith, R.K.**, Krishnakumar, P., Danish, E., Dhanasooraj, D., **Ranjitha, M.**, &  **Midhun, S.** (2022) [Serum vitamin D level in patients with schizophrenia: A community-based study](https://doi.org/10.4103/ijmr.IJMR_3724_20), *Indian Journal of Medical Research*; 10.4103/ijmr.IJMR_3724_20
* **Rajith RK**, Krishnakumar P. (2022) [Clinical profile of obsessive-compulsive disorder in children.](https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1328_21) *Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care*; 11(1): 251-255.
* **Balan, S.**, Iwayama, Y., Ohnishi, T., Fukuda, M., Shirai, A., Yamada, A., Weirich, S., Schuhmacher, M. S., Vijayan, D. K., Endo, T., Hisano, Y., Kotoshiba, K., Toyota, T., Otowa, T., Kuwabara, H., Tochigi, M., Watanabe, A., Ohba, Maekawa, M., Toyoshima, M., Sasaki, T., Nakamura, K., Tsujii, M., Matsuzaki, H., Zhang, K. Y. J., Jeltsch, A., Shinkai, Y., & Yoshikawa, T (2021), [A loss of function variant in SUV39H2 identified in autism spectrum disorder causes altered H3K9-trimethylation and dysregulation of protocadherin β cluster genes in the developing brain](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-021-01199-7), *Molecular Psychiatry*, 10.1038/s41380-021-01199-7 
* Hara, T., Toyoshima, M., Hisano, Y., **Balan, S.**, Iwayama, Y., Aono, H., Futamura, Y., Osada, H., Owada, Y., & Yoshikawa, T. (2021), [Glyoxalase I disruption and external carbonyl stress impair mitochondrial function in human induced pluripotent stem cells and derived neurons](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-021-01392-w), *Translational Psychiatry*, 11, 275
* **Balan, S.**, Ohnishi, T., Watanabe, A., Ohba, H., Iwayama, Y., Toyoshima, M., Hara, T., Hisano, Y., Miyasaka, Y., Toyota, T., Shimamoto-Mitsuyama, C., Maekawa, M., Numata, S., Ohmori, T., Shimogori, T., Kikkawa, Y., Hayashi, T. & Yoshikawa, T. (2021) [Role of an atypical cadherin gene, Cdh23 in prepulse inhibition and implication of CDH23 in schizophrenia](https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbab007), *Schizophrenia Bulletin*, 47; 4, 1190–1200.

<br/>

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/WjXhE7o.png" alt="drawing" width="100"/> 

###### tags: `IMHANS` `neuroscience lab`

![](https://i.imgur.com/ASxUH1j.png)


