brownea@uw.edu
she/her

Research Lab

SEPS Lab

Research Overview

Sleep disturbances are a common and debilitating feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), yet their underlying mechanisms and contributions to autism-related phenotypes remain poorly understood. I am investigating how Dyrk1a, a high-confidence ASD-risk gene, interacts with sleep disruption to influence behavior, synaptic properties, and molecular networks. My goal is to advance fundamental knowledge about the interplay between genetic and environmental factors in neurodevelopmental disorders that can inform targeted interventions to improve health outcomes and quality of life for individuals with Dyrk1a Syndrome and other forms of ASD.