George Barth Geller Distinguished Professor of Neurobiology
The long term goal of our laboratory is to understand at a cellular/molecular level how neuronal activity regulates the formation and maturation of synapses during brain development, and ultimately to use genetic model systems to understand how defects in this developmental process lead to cognitive dysfunction.
Appointments and Affiliations
- George Barth Geller Distinguished Professor of Neurobiology
- Professor of Neurobiology
- Professor of Cell Biology
- Faculty Network Member of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences
- Member of the Duke Cancer Institute
Contact Information
- Office Location: Bryan Research Building, 311 Research Drive Room 301D, Durham, NC 27710
- Email Address: west@neuro.duke.edu
- Websites:
Education
- B.A. Cornell University, 1989
- Ph.D. Harvard University, 1998
- M.D. Harvard University, 1998
Courses Taught
- UPGEN 778F: University Program in Genetics and Genomics Biological Solutions Module VI
- UPGEN 778B: University Program in Genetics and Genomics Biological Solutions Module Il
- UPGEN 778A: University Program in Genetics and Genomics Biological Solutions Module I
- NEUROSCI 494: Research Independent Study 2
- NEUROSCI 493: Research Independent Study 1
- NEUROBIO 762: Neurobiology of Disease
- NEUROBIO 726S: Neurobiology Journal Club
- NEUROBIO 719: Concepts in Neuroscience I: Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology
- NEUROBIO 393: Research Independent Study
In the News
- Duke Honors 31 New Distinguished Professors (Mar 25, 2025)
- Two New Transgenic Mouse Lines Will Enable Innovative Studies Into Gene Regulat…
- Genes Tell Story of Birdsong and Human Speech (Dec 11, 2014)
Representative Publications
- Aldridge, Andrew I., Martine W. Tremblay, Vijyendra Ramesh, Xiaolin Wei, Yong-Hui Jiang, and Anne E. West. “The linker histone H1.4 condenses chromatin in maturing postmitotic neurons.” BioRxiv, July 29, 2026. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.28.741367.
- Narayanan, Arthy, Kendyl N. Laumann, Aaron T. Halvorsen, Sasha Burwell, Andrew I. Aldridge, Jinjutha Cheepluesak, Xiaolin Wei, Yarui Diao, Christie D. Fowler, and Anne E. West. “Transcriptional plasticity of ventral tegmental area neurons induced after cessation of chronic cocaine exposure is required for incubation of cocaine seeking.” BioRxiv, July 5, 2026. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.06.30.735717.
- Halvorsen, Aaron T., Arthy Narayanan, Grace M. Link, Thomas J. Wagner, Ashleigh K. Waterman, Mara H. Cowen, Katherine R Tonn Eisinger, Lindsey L. Glickfeld, and Anne E. West. “CRISPR inhibition of activity-dependent Arc expression in the adult mouse brain has limited effects on plasticity in visual cortex and nucleus accumbens.” BioRxiv, April 29, 2026. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.04.26.720914.
- West, Anne E. “Genetic Mechanisms of Experience-Dependent Neuronal Plasticity.” Annu Rev Genet 59, no. 1 (November 2025): 435–59. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-genet-020325-103824.
- Aldridge, Andrew I., and Anne E. West. “Epigenetics and the timing of neuronal differentiation.” Curr Opin Neurobiol 89 (December 2024): 102915. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conb.2024.102915.