Presentation description

Bipolar Disorder (BD) is a debilitating mood disorder causing drastic episodes of clinical depression and hypomania that result in high suicide risk. Due to its complex and genetic nature, current animal models are insufficient for researching therapeutic approaches for humans. Using induced pluripotent stem cells, cells taken from living patients, neurons can be cultured exhibiting BD's unique genetic identity. My research probed a unique gene mutation on neuronal growth in a patient with BD.