James Stafford, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
University of Vermont Cancer Center Member
Department of Neurological Sciences
Publications
Dr. James Stafford's Publications
Area(s) of expertise
The Stafford Lab studies how neuropsychiatric diseases arise from the abnormal regulation of gene expression in the brain (e.g., epigenetic mechanisms). His lab unifies the study of how chromatin machinery impacts transcription in the brain with behavioral models of disease. In doing so, he aims to better understand neuropsychiatric diseases from the functional level of a gene/protein to the phenotypic level of a living organism. This work requires a variety of molecular biology techniques, mechanistic biochemistry assays, genome-wide sequencing, neural cell culture systems, as well as genetic and behavioral mouse models. To keep the basic science grounded in human disease, the Stafford Lab collaborates with a host of clinician scientists.
Because the general approaches of the Stafford Lab are broad, so are some of the translational questions. However, the primary disease focus if the lab is on how aberrations in chromatin machinery lead to complex phenotypes in the adult such as alcohol use disorders. A second line of research investigates select neurodevelopmental diseases such as pediatric brain tumors, epilepsy and intellectual disabilities associated with mutations in specific chromatin factors.
Importantly, the Stafford Lab aims to create a dynamic and supportive environment for trainees. The goal of this approach is to combine trusted techniques with innovative approaches that span disciplines thereby allowing us to tackle challenging problems in neuropsychiatric disease. This provides trainees a certain degree of intellectual freedom that dovetails with directed study in their specific project. The intended outcome for the trainee is to build a foundation from which the individual can pursue a career on whatever path they chose whether it be academic, industrial, entrepreneurial or otherwise. Indeed, while Dr. Stafford is primarily an academic scientist, he also has experience in scientific entrepreneurship as the co-founder if a small biotech. He is therefore eager to help parlay scientific training into careers that are both within and outside traditional academic tracks.
Publications
Areas of Expertise
The Stafford Lab studies how neuropsychiatric diseases arise from the abnormal regulation of gene expression in the brain (e.g., epigenetic mechanisms). His lab unifies the study of how chromatin machinery impacts transcription in the brain with behavioral models of disease. In doing so, he aims to better understand neuropsychiatric diseases from the functional level of a gene/protein to the phenotypic level of a living organism. This work requires a variety of molecular biology techniques, mechanistic biochemistry assays, genome-wide sequencing, neural cell culture systems, as well as genetic and behavioral mouse models. To keep the basic science grounded in human disease, the Stafford Lab collaborates with a host of clinician scientists.
Because the general approaches of the Stafford Lab are broad, so are some of the translational questions. However, the primary disease focus if the lab is on how aberrations in chromatin machinery lead to complex phenotypes in the adult such as alcohol use disorders. A second line of research investigates select neurodevelopmental diseases such as pediatric brain tumors, epilepsy and intellectual disabilities associated with mutations in specific chromatin factors.
Importantly, the Stafford Lab aims to create a dynamic and supportive environment for trainees. The goal of this approach is to combine trusted techniques with innovative approaches that span disciplines thereby allowing us to tackle challenging problems in neuropsychiatric disease. This provides trainees a certain degree of intellectual freedom that dovetails with directed study in their specific project. The intended outcome for the trainee is to build a foundation from which the individual can pursue a career on whatever path they chose whether it be academic, industrial, entrepreneurial or otherwise. Indeed, while Dr. Stafford is primarily an academic scientist, he also has experience in scientific entrepreneurship as the co-founder if a small biotech. He is therefore eager to help parlay scientific training into careers that are both within and outside traditional academic tracks.