Christopher W. Cowan

Dr. Christopher W. Cowan is Professor and Chair of the Department of Neuroscience at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) College of Medicine. He holds the William E. Murray SmartState Endowed Chair in Neuroscience and serves as Director of the NIH-funded Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) in Neurodevelopment and Its Disorders (CNDD), as well as Scientific Director of the NIDA-funded Charleston Opioid Center on Addiction (COCA). Dr. Cowan is also co-founder of NeuroEpigenix, LLC, a company developing novel therapeutics for alcohol use disorder.

Dr. Cowan earned his BA from Wesleyan University and his PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from Baylor College of Medicine. He completed postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital. Prior to joining MUSC in 2016, he was an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at UT Southwestern Medical School and Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital.

His research focuses on molecular mechanisms of developmental brain wiring, syndromic forms of autism spectrum disorder, and epigenetic mechanisms underlying relapse behavior in substance use disorders. The Cowan Laboratory (Integrative Neurobiology Lab) employs a multidisciplinary approach including genomics, cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, electrophysiology, and complex behavioral analyses to study substance/alcohol use disorders and neurodevelopmental disorders. The lab investigates how illicit substances hijack brain function and examines genes linked to autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disability, and schizophrenia.

Analysis of recent publications shows consistent focus on transcription factors (NPAS4, MEF2C), epigenetic mechanisms in addiction, neural circuit adaptations, and molecular pathways in neurodevelopmental disorders. His work spans basic molecular neuroscience to translational applications, with emphasis on identifying novel therapeutic targets for mental health conditions.

Dr. Cowan has received significant research funding through NIH mechanisms including P20 COBRE and P50 Center grants. His leadership extends to directing major research centers focused on neurodevelopmental disorders and opioid addiction.

He maintains an active laboratory with numerous postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and research staff. The Cowan Lab has trained numerous PhD students, postdocs, and MD/PhD candidates who have gone on to successful careers in academia and industry. The lab's work has contributed significantly to understanding the molecular basis of addiction and neurodevelopmental disorders.