Research Interests & Foci
September 22, 2025
In this study we used SHIELD brain clearing and lightsheet imaging to compare oxytocin neurons in two KO mouse models of autism-risk genes: CNTNAP2 and FMR1. Congratulations, Ash, Siyao, and Jess!
September 9, 2025
Siyao was awarded the Young investigator Larry Young Award for her excellent oral presentation! Congratulations Siyao!
August 6, 2025
Congratulations on successfully completing your comprehensive exams!
June 6, 2025
Congrats to Ash on this review paper, part of a Progress in Neurobiology special issue "Social Neuroscience Dedicated to the Memory of Larry Young".
June 1, 2025
Welcome to our lab, Young!
May 15, 2025
May 3, 2025
Congratulations, Siyao and Ash!
February 1, 2025
Rumky (Khandkar) Hossain started in our lab as a laboratory technician!
Jacco Renstroem and Lorenzo Ciano also joined our lab as postdoctoral fellows! We're thrilled to have you on board.
January 26, 2025
Enthusiastic participants took part in mouse behavioural scoring and oxytocin cell counting, demonstrated by star PhD trainees Ash and Siyao!
The brain controls behaviour in an extremely complex manner, involving various processes at molecular, cellular, circuit, and network levels. Disease-linked gene mutations can create functional disruptions at any of these levels. In our lab, we use a multi-level, integrative research strategy to link how gene mutations associated with psychiatric disorders disrupt social behaviour.
OXYTOCIN AND ASD
Oxytocin is a peptide hormone known to influence key components of social behaviour, such as relationship bonding and trust. We are currently investigating potential molecular and circuit mechanisms involved in impaired function of the central oxytocin system and its link to the social symptoms of ASD.
CONVERGENT AND DIVERGENT MECHANISMS IN NEUROPSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS
Neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia have a significant genetic component. More than 100 risk genes have been identified for each condition, and a number of these overlap across disorders. On which neurobiological pathways do these gene mutations converge? Conversely, how do single gene disruptions serve as a risk factor for multiple psychiatric disorders? We aim to answer these questions using an integrative research pipeline that combines molecular, cellular, and circuit approaches in animal models.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
qPCR
Bulk and single-cell RNA-seq
Immunohistochemistry
Western blotting
IMAGING
Brain clearing (e.g. iDISCO, SHIELD)
Lightsheet imaging
Confocal imaging
Fiber photometry calcium imaging
ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY
In vitro slice electrophysiology
(extracellular, whole-cell patch-clamp)
In vivo multi-unit electrophysiology in freely behaving mice
MOUSE BEHAVIOUR
3-chamber social interaction test
Juvenile social play
Open field test
Y Maze
MOUSE MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING (MRI)
Structural MRI
Resting-state fMRI
Optogenetic fMRI
Pharmacologic MRI
Katrina Choe
Assistant Professor
Canada Research Chair (Tier 2)
Postdoctoral Fellowship, UCLA
Ph.D. McGill University
B.Sc. University of Toronto
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Jacco Renstroem
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ph.D., M.Sc., B.Sc. University of Nottingham
Khandkar (Rumky) Hossain
Laboratory Technician
M.Sc. Memorial University
B.Sc. Khulna University
Young Ki Lee
Laboratory Technician
M.Sc. Catholic University of Korea
B.Sc. Dankook University
Katy Celina Sandoval
Ph.D. Candidate
Neuroscience Graduate Program
M.Sc. University of Calgary
B.Sc. Bishop's University
Ash Patwardhan
Ph.D. Candidate
PNB Graduate Program
M.Sc. Stony Brook University
B.Sc. University of Buffalo
Siyao Li
Ph.D. Candidate
PNB Graduate Program
M.Sc. University of Guelph
B.Sc. University of Toronto
Aisha Abdul Rahiman
Ph.D. Candidate
Neuroscience Graduate Program
M.Sc. York University
B.Sc. University of Toronto
Jack Rosenbaum
Ph.D. Student
PNB Graduate Program
B.Sc. McMaster University
Nita Chan
M.Sc. Student
Neuroscience Graduate Program
B.Sc. Western University
Abigail Warr Atyan Moslemian Emily Tse Roark Baker
Sofiyyah Oladipupo Eshana Pararajasegaram Atticus Phoenix
Mya Cornacchia Zach Henderson Gloria Chan
Vajran Sugunanavalan Vani Chowdhary Nicholas Lancaster
THREE-DIMENSIONAL QUANTIFICATION OF OXYTOCIN NEURONS IN THE HYPOTHALAMIC PARAVENTRICULAR NUCLEUS REVEALS SEX- AND SUBREGION-SPECIFIC DIFFERENCES IN TWO GENETIC MOUSE MODELS OF AUTISM.
J Neuroendocrinology (2025)
Patwardhan, A.*, Li, S.*, Chen, J. and Choe, K. Y.
*equal contribution
PubMed link
THE SOCIAL SALIENCE NETWORK HYPOTHESIS OF AUTISM: DISRUPTED NETWORK ACTIVITY, OXYTOCIN SIGNALING, AND IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL SYMPTOMS
(review).
Progress in Neurobiology (2025)
Patwardhan, A. and Choe, K. Y.
PubMed link
CALCIUM DYNAMICS IN HYPOTHALAMIC PARAVENTRICULAR OXYTOCIN NEURONS AND ASTROCYTES ASSOCIATED WITH SOCIAL AND STRESS STIMULI.
eNeuro (2025)
Sandoval, K.C., Rychlik, J. and Choe., K.Y.
PubMed link
SOCIAL CIRCUITS AND THEIR DYSFUNCTION IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (review).
Molecular Psychiatry (2023)
Sato, M., Nakai, N., Fujima, S., Choe, K.Y., Takumi, T.
PubMed link
OXYTOCIN NORMALIZES ALTERED CIRCUIT CONNECTIVITY FOR SOCIAL RESCUE OF THE CNTNAP2 KO MOUSE.
Neuron (2022)
Choe, K.Y., Bethlehem, R.A.I., Safrin, M., Dong, H., Salman, E., Li, Y., Grinevich, V., Golshani, P., DeNardo, L.A., Peñagarikano,. O, Harris, N.G., Geschwind, D.H.
PubMed link
OPTOGENETIC FMRI AND ELECTROPHYSIOLOGICAL IDENTIFICATION OF REGION-SPECIFIC CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE CEREBELLAR CORTEX AND FOREBRAIN.
NeuroImage (2018)
Choe, K.Y., Sanchez, C.F., Harris, N.G., Otis, T.S., and Mathews, P.J.
PubMed link
HIGH SALT INTAKE INCREASES BLOOD PRESSURE VIA BDNF-MEDIATED DOWNREGULATION OF KCC2 AND IMPAIRED BAROREFLEX INHIBITION OF VASOPRESSIN NEURONS.
Neuron (2016)
Choe, K.Y., Han, S.Y., Gaub, P., Shell, B., Voisin, D.L., Knapp, B.A., Barker, P.A., Brown, C., Cunningham,J.T., and Bourque, C.W.
PubMed link
COMPLETE LIST OF PUBLICATIONS
LINK
Psychology Building
McMaster University
1280 Main Street West
Hamilton, Ontario
L8S 4K1
Canada
choek@mcmaster.ca
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