Herbert M. Lachman, M.D.

Dr. Herbert Lachman is a physician and behavioral geneticist interested in the molecular and genetic basis of schizophrenia, addiction, and bipolar disorder. His lab’s primary research projects involve the use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) for modeling neuropsychiatric disorders. Patient-specific iPS cells are generated from skin fibroblasts, which are ultimately induced to differentiate into neurons. Epigenetic analysis and gene expression profiling for protein-coding genes, long non-coding RNAs and microRNAs are being carried out. 

Additionally, Dr. Lachman’s lab uses gene knockdown approaches to study the effects of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder candidate genes, in particular those that regulate other genes (transcription factors, chromatin modifiers, for example). His lab has recently knocked down ZNF804A and A2BP1 in neural progenitor cells derived from iPSCs and is in the process of determining the molecular and genetic networks affected by these schizophrenia candidate genes, which code for a putative transcription factor and regulator of neuron-specific splicing, respectively. Dr. Lachman's lab is also carrying out whole genome sequencing in multiplex families with bipolar disorder.

Dr. Lachman is board certified in Internal Medicine and has clinical responsibilities in the Einstein Division of Substance Abuse, where he is the director of the Medical Maintenance Program. He also teaches human genetics to first-year medical students and graduate students, and directs a course in human genetics in the Clinical Research Training Program.