Mark Ansorge

Mark Ansorge, PhD, is Associate Professor of Clinical Neurobiology (in Psychiatry) at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons. His research investigates developmental origins of neuropsychiatric disorders through multi-disciplinary approaches integrating mouse genetics, pharmacogenetics, and optogenetics.

• Education: MS in Biochemistry (University of Potsdam, Germany), PhD in Neurobiology (Free University of Berlin, Germany), Postdoc (Columbia University, USA)

Dr. Ansorge's work focuses on serotonin signaling during critical developmental windows and its long-term impacts on emotional and cognitive behaviors. His lab has demonstrated that early-life perturbations in 5-HT systems lead to persistent changes in raphe nuclei, hippocampus, and medial prefrontal cortex circuitry, linking these alterations to increased adult vulnerability for depression and anxiety disorders.

Recent publications highlight his expanding scope into gut-brain axis interactions (2025) and adolescent dopamine transporter manipulation (2023). While primarily using mouse models, his work maintains translational relevance through collaborations with clinical researchers.