Hala Nicolas

Hala Nicolas, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at Columbia University. Her research focuses on understanding the molecular and neural mechanisms underlying autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using genetically modified rat models, particularly the Shank3-deficient rats. She investigates oxytocin’s role in social behavior deficits and employs cutting-edge techniques like chemo-genetic tools and genome-wide transcriptional analysis. Her work aims to identify therapeutic targets and non-invasive interventions for ASD. Dr. Nicolas holds a BSc, MA, and PhD from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.

Research Interests: Dr. Nicolas’ lab explores ASD pathogenesis through transgenic models, oxytocin signaling pathways, social behavior circuits, and synaptic ultrastructure. Recent studies highlight oxytocin’s effects on social recognition memory, hypothalamic circuits, and glutamatergic systems. Her work bridges basic neuroscience with translational medicine, addressing neurodevelopmental disorder mechanisms.

Key Contributions: She pioneered the validation of Shank3-deficient rat models and demonstrated oxytocin’s ameliorative effects in these models. Her group’s TrackUSF tool enables automated analysis of ultrasonic vocalizations in ASD models. Current projects dissect oxytocin’s role in social reward pathways and examine juvenile social isolation impacts.

Lab & Affiliations: Based at Columbia’s Annenberg Building, her lab collaborates on CRISPR-based studies of oxytocin receptors and white matter alterations in ASD. She contributes to multi-disciplinary training programs in neuroscience.