Featured Publications

Transcriptomic cell-type specificity of local cortical circuits

Patiño et al., 2024
Neuron

Postsynaptic cell type and synaptic distance do not determine efficiency of monosynaptic rabies virus spread measured at synaptic resolution

Patiño et al., 2023
eLife

Single-cell transcriptomic classification of rabies-infected cortical neurons

Patiño et al., 2022
The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)

Research Areas

Neuroscience

I study how the molecular and cellular properties of brain cells shape neural circuit function. A key aspect of my work involves pioneering new neurotechnologies to address unanswered questions in the field. During my PhD training, I developed Single Transcriptome-Assisted Rabies Tracing (START), a tool created to fill a critical gap by enabling scientists to map brain connectivity at transcriptomic resolution. I applied START to reveal how inhibitory neuron subtypes wire into cortical circuits with unprecedented precision. My current work explores how glial cell diversity, particularly astrocytes, drives neurodevelopment and shapes brain connectivity.

Psychiatry

My research spans from molecular neuroscience to clinical psychiatry. Understanding how specific neuronal subtypes contribute to brain function and dysfunction provides foundational knowledge critical for developing precision therapeutics for psychiatric conditions. I am now translating this systems-level thinking to clinical research, using machine learning to identify socioeconomic and clinical factors that predict delayed diagnosis in severe mental illness, with the aim of improving early detection and intervention for marginalized communities.

Equity

I am committed to advancing equity in neuroscience and psychiatry through research, clinical practice, and workforce development. I have published on improving Latine representation in child and adolescent psychiatry and developing research training models for underrepresented students. My work addresses disparities in both who receives care and who provides it.