Steven Mennerick
John P Feighner Professor of Neuropsychopharmacology
- Phone: 314-747-2988
- Email: menneris@nospam.wustl.edu
Additional Titles & Roles
- Associate Dean for Biology and Biomedical Sciences
- Professor of Neuroscience
- Scientific Director, Taylor Family Institute for Innovative Psychiatric Research
Education & Training
- Ph.D.: Washington University in St Louis, 1995
- B.A.: Earlham College, 1988
Major Awards
- Graduate Student Mentorship Award, 2005
- Klingenstein Award in the Neurosciences, 1999
- NARSAD Young Investigator Award, 1999
Research Interests
The broad aim of my research is to understand control of neuronal excitation and inhibition by neurotransmitters in the central nervous system. This is an important goal because neurotransmitter actions can be double-edged, underlying normal neurotransmission on the one hand and underlying dysfunction and neurotoxicity on the other. In one project we are exploring the cellular and synaptic responses to powerful neuromodulators that affect inhibition and excitation. These molecules may modulate normal and abnormal brain function endogenously but also represent targets for novel therapeutic approaches. Another project investigates the effect that astrocytes, a class of glial cell, have on neuronal development and function. Finally, we have been engineering a biosensor for the neurotransmitter dopamine, allowing us a unique perspective on the control of dopamine release. For our studies we use electrophysiological, molecular, and imaging techniques applied to simple culture preparations, to heterologous expression systems, and to intact brain slices.
Recent Publications
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Rapid antidepressant potential of nitrous oxide: current state and major questions
Zorumski, C. F., Cichon, J., Izumi, Y., Zeffiro, T., Mennerick, S., Nagele, P. & Conway, C. R., Jun 2026, In: Molecular Psychiatry. 31, 6, p. 3022-3032 11 p.
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Structure-activity relationships of steroid and sterol neuromodulators on inflammatory markers in a murine microglial cell line
Shu, H. J., Covey, D. F., Zorumski, C. F. & Mennerick, S., May 2026, In: Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 259, 106969.
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Nitrous oxide activates layer 5 prefrontal neurons via SK2 channel inhibition for antidepressant effect
Cichon, J., Joseph, T. T., Lu, X., Wasilczuk, A. Z., Kelz, M. B., Mennerick, S. J., Zorumski, C. F. & Nagele, P., Dec 2025, In: Nature communications. 16, 1, 2999.
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Effects of acute pro-inflammatory stimulation and 25-hydroxycholesterol on hippocampal plasticity and learning involve NLRP3 inflammasome and cellular stress responses
Izumi, Y., O’Dell, K. A., Mennerick, S. & Zorumski, C. F., Dec 2025, In: Scientific reports. 15, 1, 6149.
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Aberrant coupling of glutamate and tyrosine kinase receptors enables neuronal control of brain-tumor growth
Anastasaki, C., Mu, R., Kernan, C. M., Li, X., Barakat, R., Koleske, J. P., Gao, Y., Cobb, O. M., Lu, X., Eberhart, C. G., Phillips, J. J., Strahle, J. M., Dahiya, S., Mennerick, S. J., Rodriguez, F. J. & Gutmann, D. H., Nov 5 2025, In: Neuron. 113, 21, p. 3582-3600.e7