Dr. Lauren Orefice

Biography

Lauren Orefice is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Genetics at Harvard University. Her research program focuses on the development, function, and dysfunction of somatosensory and viscerosensory circuits that mediate touch sensations and gastrointestinal system functions. Orefice's work is dedicated to understanding how sensory experiences, beginning with peripheral neurons, shape the development of circuits in the spinal cord and brain. Her research combines various techniques including genetics, anatomy, electrophysiology, imaging, transcriptomics, and behavioral studies in mice and human-derived neurons. A major focus of her lab is to study the basic biology of neural circuits that detect and process sensory information from the skin. Orefice has a keen interest in understanding how the development and function of sensory neurons that innervate internal organs and the gastrointestinal tract relate to the neural circuits that process viscerosensory information. Her research also investigates the alterations in sensory circuits that contribute to diseases and disorders, particularly in relation to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She hypothesizes that changes in somatosensation and viscerosensation underlie additional symptoms of ASD, including changes in social behaviors and anxiety. By identifying genetic mutations that affect peripheral sensory neuron function, Orefice aims to enhance ASD-related symptoms observed in mouse models. Currently, her work focuses on studying the mechanisms behind tactile and gastrointestinal sensory abnormalities in animal models of ASD.

Research Interests