Aliza Ehrlich

Dr. Aliza Ehrlich is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine. Her research investigates the neurobiological mechanisms of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) activation, focusing on how compartmentalization of receptor signaling at membrane domains like the primary cilium affects neuromodulation and psychiatric disorders. She serves as Principal Investigator for NIH grant K01MH123757, which explores neuronal Gi-GPCR targeting to primary cilia and its impact on cAMP-mediated transcription. Her work bridges molecular neuroscience with clinical psychiatry, aiming to develop novel therapeutic approaches for neuropsychiatric conditions.

• Education: PhD in Neuroscience

Her research spans multiple dimensions of GPCR biology, including opioid receptor dynamics, neuromodulatory pathways, and receptor localization at primary cilia. Key themes from her publications include autism-related protein convergence at cilia, sex-specific opioid receptor expression, and mesocorticolimbic network dysfunction in addiction models. She has contributed to understanding biased opioid receptor signaling, drug safety profiles, and GPCR compartmentalization in psychiatric disorders.

Her recent work focuses on neurodevelopmental implications at the cilium, opioid receptor targeting mechanisms, and multiscale neural connectivity disruptions. Publications often integrate transgenic mouse models, neuroimaging, and molecular pharmacology approaches.

Grants and Collaborations:

• NIH K01MH123757 (2020-2024)
• Co-authored 12 publications with collaborators across UCSF and other UC institutions

Labs and Teams: Affiliated with von Zastrow and Kieffer laboratories, contributing to UCSF's neuroscience and psychiatric research ecosystems. Her work intersects with departments studying brain structure-function relationships, opioid pharmacology, and neurogenetics.

Scientific Impact: Mentions in 48 publications (Mol Psychiatry 2018), 37 in PNAS (2016), and 33 in iScience (2019). Altmetric visibility includes 20 news outlets and 128 Mendeley readers for key works. Her research forms part of broader initiatives in GPCR signaling, opioid safety, and neuropsychiatric biomarkers.