Dr. Fatemi's research focuses on the neurodevelopmental mechanisms that contribute to normal structure and function of the brain and which, under certain circumstances, cause neuropsychiatric disorders. His research has been conducted on two levels: one at the level of human brain dysfunction (postmortem studies involving schizophrenic, depressed, bipolar, and autistic patients) and secondly on development of an animal model to mimic schizophrenia and autism (prenatal viral infection in mice). Dr. Fatemi has also investigated the effects of various psychotropic agents, e.g., olanzapine, clozapine, fluoxetine, valproic acid, haloperidol, and lithium, on expression of genes of interest in rats following chronic administration of each drug. The ultimate goals of Dr. Fatemi's research are to better understand the genesis of these disabling disorders and to treat patients afflicted by them. Dr. Fatemi's research has been funded by multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Stanley Medical Research Institute, the National Alliance for Research in Schizophrenia and Depression, and the Minnesota Medical Foundation. His research has been published in top journals including Molecular Psychiatry, Synapse, Molecular Autism, and Translational Psychiatry. Dr. Fatemi has published 121 articles, 33 book chapters, and edited five books. Dr. Fatemi is an Associate Editor of Cerebellum and Ataxias, a Regional Editor (USA) for Central Nervous System Agents in Medicinal Chemistry, and on the editorial boards of multiple journals including Molecular Psychiatry, PLoS One and Pharmacopsychiatry.
