Understanding How Chemical Imbalances Disrupt Neural Circuit Function

Justin David Anair is a student in the Northwestern University Interdepartmental Neuroscience (NUIN) program. 

High school anatomy and psychology classes piqued Anair’s interests in science, but his experiences volunteering with children living with neurological and neurodevelopmental disabilities are what ultimately set him on a path toward biomedical research. 

Now in the laboratory of Jones Parker, PhD, assistant professor of Neuroscience, of Pharmacology and of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Anair studies how chemical imbalances disrupt neural circuit function and contribute to neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. 

Where is your hometown? 

I grew up in Holland, Michigan, a small lakeside town about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Chicago. I attended West Ottawa High School and then earned my undergraduate degree in Biomolecular Science from the University of Michigan. 

What sparked your interest in science or medicine? 

I’ve had many “wow, that’s fascinating” moments, but two stand out from high school. In my anatomy class with Mr. Myers, a goat-eye dissection first sparked my curiosity about the brain and how it processes sensory information. Later, in AP Psychology with Mr. McNitt, I became fascinated by how specific brain regions and neuromodulators shape both healthy and disordered behavior. 

Mr. McNitt also introduced me to Camp Sunshine, a camp for individuals with a broad range of neurological and neurodevelopmental disabilities. Volunteering there for four years showed me the resilience of people navigating these conditions and highlighted the gaps in effective therapeutic options. That experience ultimately set me on the path toward research in sensory neuroscience. 

What are your research interests? 

I’m interested in how chemical imbalances disrupt neural circuit function and contribute to neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. Current antipsychotic treatments largely target the dopamine system and act broadly across the brain, which can lead to variable efficacy and incomplete symptom relief. Ultimately, I hope we can develop therapeutic strategies — and dosing approaches — that more precisely target specific brain regions based on symptom presentation and severity.  

What are you currently working on? 

I am leading two major projects. First, I’m leading a collaboration with the Kennedy Lab at the University of Michigan to establish and characterize a novel mouse model of schizophrenia that captures the pathway-specific, chronic dopamine dysfunction observed in patients. This work has been a deep collaborative effort between our teams. 

Second, I use in vivo imaging to study how elevating dopamine release in subcortical circuits contributes to hallucination-like percepts in mice, and how antipsychotic drugs work to normalize these dopamine-driven changes. Together, these projects aim to clarify how dopamine signaling, particularly from substantia nigra projections to the caudate, disrupts neural activity in ways relevant to schizophrenia. 

Please tell us about a defining moment in your education at Feinberg. 

A major milestone was receiving the F31 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award from the National Institute of Mental Health at the end of my second year. This fellowship has supported my research for the past two years and enabled me to attend national and international conferences. Through these opportunities, I’ve been able to share my work, receive valuable feedback and build meaningful connections across the field. 

What do you hope to do with your degree? 

I hope to work at the intersection of academia, industry and clinical practice to help advance new therapeutic developments—potentially as a medical science liaison or through a university office supporting new ventures. My goal is to translate breakthrough neuroscience research into effective, accessible treatments by evaluating scientific discoveries for their therapeutic and commercial potential and guiding them toward meaningful patient impact. 

This page has been updated on April 14, 2026.