Dr. William Wetsel

Biography

William Christopher Wetsel is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Duke University, with a joint appointment as a Research Professor in both the Department of Cell Biology and the Department of Neurobiology. His research focuses on using genetically-modified mouse models to study the effects of genes and gene products on abnormal neuroendocrine, neurological, and psychiatric responses. His work employs advanced genetic technologies to investigate specific genes and their role in neural pathways associated with various dysfunctions. As the Director of the Mouse Behavioral Neuroendocrine Analysis Core Facility at Duke University, Wetsel collaborates with other researchers and institutions to phenotype inbred mutant mouse lines and develop genetic models for understanding neuroendocrine and neuropsychiatric illnesses. He works closely with academic medicinal chemists and pharmaceutical companies to identify new compounds that might alleviate abnormal responses in these models. His preclinical studies contribute significantly to the foundation of subsequent clinical trials involving human participants.

Research Interests

Experience