Emily M. Hicks

The impact of chronic pain on brain gene expression

The paper identifies gene expression changes in brain regions associated with chronic pain, highlighting BLA microglia as a key cell type and finding distinct gene expression patterns compared to other pain-related traits.

Decoding the transcriptomic signatures of psychological trauma in human cortex and amygdala

The paper investigates transcriptional signatures of trauma in human brain regions using RNA-seq data from 304 donors, identifying differential vulnerability of cortical and amygdala regions to different trauma types.

Common genetic variation impacts molecular stress response in the brain

The paper identifies stress-interactive eQTLs that dysregulate gene expression in the brain under stress, uncovering novel genes linked to brain disorder risk in traumatic stress contexts.

Transcriptional signatures of heroin intake and seeking throughout the brain reward circuit

This study identifies transcriptional changes in the brain reward circuit across heroin exposure and seeking behaviors in mice, revealing molecular mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets for opioid use disorder.

Chronic pain gene expression changes in the brain and relationships with clinical traits

The paper uses transcriptomic imputation to identify gene expression changes in brain tissues and blood linked to chronic pain and finds associations with clinical traits.

Atlas of genetic effects in human microglia transcriptome across brain regions, aging and disease pathologies

The paper analyzes the transcriptome of human microglia across brain regions, aging, and disease to identify genetic effects on gene expression and splicing, linking them to neurological disorders.