Debomoy K. Lahiri, PhD, distinguished professor of psychiatry at IU School of Medicine, has been named the Alan H. Cohen Family Professor of Psychiatry. This endowed professorship recognizes a Department of Psychiatry faculty member whose research advances the understanding and treatment of autism spectrum disorder.
Lahiri is a world-renowned researcher who has made significant strides in the understanding of both neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental brain diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and autism. For more than three decades, Lahiri has been a leading researcher and a member of the Department of Psychiatry. Lahiri holds many honors and recognitions, including being named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, the highest professional distinction awarded to academic inventors, as well as being named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Lahiri got his start at IU School of Medicine’s Institute of Psychiatric Research, which had a rich history of neuroscience and psychiatric research, including early strides in autism research.
“I became interested in autism when I observed a critical shift in the field toward the neurodiversity framework and biological explanations,” Lahiri explained. "Over the last 20 years, I have watched, and I hope, helped, molecular understanding of autism progress from broad, unclear concepts to a detailed and nuanced picture involving hundreds of genes, gene variants and biological pathways. Advances in sequencing and large-scale genomic and proteomic studies have shown that autism is not a single condition, but rather a spectrum encompassing biologically distinct subtypes.”
Lahiri’s study of the amyloid-β precursor protein pathway revealed shared molecules among Alzheimer’s disease, autism spectrum disorder, Angelman syndrome, and fragile X syndrome. These diseases vary in symptomatology, and it appears that the early-life (autism, Angelman and fragile X) disorders are not precursors to Alzheimer’s, but their shared molecular links reinforced Lahiri’s understanding that no disease exists in isolation.
Lahiri co-invented a method to monitor autism spectrum disorder and fragile X syndrome patients by measuring blood plasma levels of a molecule involved in changes to learning and memory and using these levels to adjust the dose of a therapeutic compound called acamprosate, which has been prescribed for alcohol use disorder. Lahiri demonstrated that acamprosate could reduce the activation of a cell signaling pathway associated with many of the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. Accordingly, in addition to its utility as a diagnostic marker for autism spectrum disorder, researchers found the pathway's relative activation can be used to monitor patients treated with acamprosate.
Lahiri plans to continue pursuing autism research, with the expectation that he will continue to benefit from studying other neurodegenerative conditions, including identifying specific microRNAs as “molecular switches” that modulate some of the shared pathways.
“Autism is not a single condition to be ‘cured,’ but a spectrum of diverse neurobiology that contributes to human diversity. Advances in biochemistry, genetics and neuroscience are helping us understand autism in its many forms, and this knowledge is being applied to develop better supports, improve quality of life, and highlight strengths. Families need to know that science is moving toward celebrating differences while providing meaningful, individualized care,” Lahiri said.
In addition to his contributions to autism research, Lahiri has established himself as a leader in Alzheimer's disease science, including drug targets. He has published over 320 peer-reviewed articles, authored four books, and holds several patents in the United States and internationally related to neurodegenerative diseases and neurodevelopmental disorders. Among his most notable accomplishments is the invention of a novel DNA extraction method from human subjects, which has led to several significant discoveries in genomics. This method, which is used in laboratories worldwide for human genome mapping and genotyping, was published in a series of articles, including one that has been cited by peer scientists over 2,900 times — a record number of citations for a research publication from a single IU School of Medicine lab.
Beyond his scientific achievements, Lahiri is a dedicated educator and mentor, guiding medical students, graduate students, residents, fellows and postdoctoral trainees. He is a founding editor-in-chief of Current Alzheimer Research. He is a core leader of the Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, where he sits on the Executive Committee.
“Dr. Lahiri is extremely deserving of this recognition and endowed professorship. He is one of the department’s leading autism researchers, and his work has uncovered several important connections with other diseases,” said Leslie Hulvershorn, MD, chair of the Department of Psychiatry. “Not only is Dr. Lahiri a fantastic scientist, but he is a wonderful connector. He leads his own significant research, mentors and supports many of our early career investigators, and connects us with the work that was started by our colleagues who came before us.”
The Alan H. Cohen Family has generously supported the Department of Psychiatry through the Riley Children’s Foundation for more than a decade. Naomi Swiezy, PhD, professor emeritus, was the previous Alan H. Cohen Family Professor of Psychiatry.