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The research in Dr. Tarantino’s laboratory is focused on identification and characterization of genes that influence behavior. In particular, they study mouse models of addiction, anxiety, stress and depression-like behaviors.

Lisa M. Tarantino, PhD
Lisa M. Tarantino, PhD
Dr. Tarantino will have a primary appointment in Genetics, secondary appointment in Psychiatry and a joint appointment in the School of Pharmacy. After receiving her Ph.D. in Genetics from Penn State and doing a postdoctoral fellowship in Behavioral Genetics at U Penn, she started her professional career at the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation in San Diego. She joined the Department of Psychiatry at UNC in October 2007 and was promoted to Associate Professor in January 2014, adding secondary appointments in the School of Pharmacy and Department of Genetics.
The research in Dr. Tarantino’s laboratory is focused on identification and characterization of genes that influence behavior. In particular, they study mouse models of addiction, anxiety, stress and depression-like behaviors. The laboratory uses a number of forward genetic approaches, including the measurement of behavior in existing mouse populations, such as inbred mouse strains, newer mouse resources like the Collaborative Cross and spontaneous and ENU-induced mutants. Behavior is also largely influenced by the environment and the laboratory is investigating environmental manipulations that act independently or in concert with genetic background to alter behavioral phenotypes.
The Department of Genetics is pleased to welcome Dr. Tarantino!