AECAlbert Einstein College of Medicine · Neuroscience
Obesity and Cognition Research Group
Rachel A Ross · Bronx, New York
Research Focus
Dr. Rachel A. Ross's lab at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine focuses on understanding the complex relationship between obesity and cognitive function. The research explores how specific brain circuits, particularly those involving melanocortin peptides, influence feeding behavior and body weight regulation. By studying these mechanisms in mice, the lab aims to identify new targets for obesity treatment that can improve both physical health and cognitive abilities.
obesitycognitive functionmelanocortinprefrontal cortexfeeding behaviorhypothalamushyperphagianeuroscience
Research Aims
3AIM 01Define the connectivity between melanocortin-expressing neurons in the hypothalamus and MC4R-expressing neurons in the mPFC.
AIM 02Determine the necessity of MC4R in mPFC subregions for regulating body weight and feeding behavior.
AIM 03Demonstrate the functional effects of the hypothalamus-mPFC circuit on feeding, metabolism, and cognitive behavior.
Skills the Lab Values
mouse modelselectrophysiologyviral techniquestransgenic micebehavioral assaysimmunohistochemistryslice preparationdata analysisRNA sequencingphotometry
Output against the department
Publications2bottom 1% of dept.665th of 671
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations5bottom 1% of dept.663rd of 671
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.