![Trevor Humby BSc (Hons) Sussex, PhD Cambridge](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/2997?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Dr Trevor Humby
(he/him)
BSc (Hons) Sussex, PhD Cambridge
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Teams and roles for Trevor Humby
Reader
Overview
I am a neuroscientist recognised as an expert in behavioural neuroscience, genetics and pharmacology. I have over 25 years’ experience in rodent-based research, published >85 articles most in the 3*/4* rating for REF, and supervised and mentored >30 post-graduate students. I have collaborations with national and international groups as well as local collaborations with colleagues in schools across the BLS in Cardiff. My research investigates genetic risk factor effects on behaviour using animal models, linking behavioural findings to neurobiological markers, and thence to mechanisms of rescue.
I have been responsible for developing and characterising a range of innovative computer-controlled operant tasks for assessing behavioural and cognitive function in rats and mice but have also developed and validated more simple tests for investigating anxiety, motor behaviour, memory and social interactions, disseminating these methods to colleagues locally and globally.
Publication
2026
- Humby, T. et al. 2026. Physiological and behavioural characterisation of a novel steroid sulfatase‐deficient mouse. Genes, Brain and Behavior 25 (4) e70061. (10.1111/gbb.70061)
- Hornsby, A. K. E. et al. 2026. Stress‐induced hyperphagia? Characterising the activity of the ghrelin axis in male rats with high anxiety behaviour. Journal of Neuroendocrinology 38 (1) e70106. (10.1111/jne.70106)
2025
- Wren, G. et al. 2025. Monitoring heart rhythms in adult males with X-linked ichthyosis using wearable technology: a feasibility study. Archives of Dermatological Research 317 351. (10.1007/s00403-025-03884-x)
2024
- Wren, G. et al. 2024. Monitoring heart rhythms in adult males with X-linked ichthyosis using wearable technology: a feasibility study. Research Square
- Wren, G. et al. 2024. Memory, mood and associated neuroanatomy in individuals with steroid sulfatase deficiency (X-linked ichthyosis). Genes, Brain and Behavior 23 (3) e12893. (10.1111/gbb.12893)
- Bosworth, M. L. et al. 2024. Sex-dependent effects of Setd1a haploinsufficiency on development and adult behaviour. PLoS ONE (10.1371/journal.pone.0298717)
2023
- Wren, G. et al. 2023. Characterising heart rhythm abnormalities associated with Xp22.31 deletion. Journal of Medical Genetics 60 , pp.636-643. (10.1136/jmg-2022-108862)
2022
- Wren, G. et al. 2022. Mood symptoms, neurodevelopmental traits, and their contributory factors in X-linked ichthyosis, ichthyosis vulgaris and psoriasis. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology 47 (6), pp.1097-1108. (10.1111/ced.15116)
- Pass, R. et al. 2022. Selective behavioural impairments in mice heterozygous for the cross disorder psychiatric risk gene DLG2. Genes, Brain and Behavior 21 (4) e12799. (10.1111/gbb.12799)
- Waldron, S. et al. 2022. Behavioural and molecular characterisation of the Dlg2 haploinsufficiency rat model of genetic risk for psychiatric disorder. Genes, Brain and Behavior 21 (4) e12797. (10.1111/gbb.12797)
- Westacott, L. J. et al. 2022. Complement C3 and C3aR mediate different aspects of emotional behaviours; relevance to risk for psychiatric disorder. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 99 , pp.70-82. (10.1016/j.bbi.2021.09.005)
2021
- Westacott, L. J. et al. 2021. Dissociable effects of complement C3 and C3aR on survival and morphology of adult born hippocampal neurons, pattern separation, and cognitive flexibility in male mice. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 98 , pp.136-150. (10.1016/j.bbi.2021.08.215)
- Zahova, S. et al. 2021. Comparison of mouse models reveals a molecular distinction between psychotic illness in PWS and schizophrenia. Translational Psychiatry 11 433. (10.1038/s41398-021-01561-x)
2020
- Dent, C. L. et al. 2020. Mice lacking paternal expression of imprinted 1 Grb10 are risk-takers. Genes, Brain and Behavior 19 (7) e12679. (10.1111/gbb.12679)
- Humby, T. et al. 2020. Effects of 5-HT2C, 5-HT1A receptor challenges and modafinil on the initiation and persistence of gambling behaviours. Psychopharmacology 237 , pp.1745-1756. (10.1007/s00213-020-05496-x)
2019
- Sykes, L. et al. 2019. Genetic variation in the psychiatric risk gene CACNA1C modulates reversal learning across species. Schizophrenia Bulletin 45 (5), pp.1024-1032. (10.1093/schbul/sby146)
- Davies, J. R. et al. 2019. Prader-Willi syndrome imprinting centre deletion mice have impaired baseline and 5-HT2CR-mediated response inhibition. Human Molecular Genetics 28 (18), pp.3013-3023. (10.1093/hmg/ddz100)
- Silva, A. I. et al., 2019. Cyfip1 haploinsufficient rats show white matter changes, myelin thinning, abnormal oligodendrocytes and behavioural inflexibility. Nature Communications 10 3455. (10.1038/s41467-019-11119-7)
- Humby, T. et al. 2019. Feeding behaviour, risk-sensitivity and response control: effects of 5-HT 2C receptor manipulations. Philosophical Transactions B: Biological Sciences 374 (1766) 20180144. (10.1098/rstb.2018.0144)
- Isles, A. R. , Winstanley, C. A. and Humby, T. 2019. Risk taking and impulsive behaviour: fundamental discoveries, theoretical perspectives and clinical implications. Philosophical Transactions B: Biological Sciences 374 (1766), pp.-. 0128. (10.1098/rstb.2018.0128)
- Humby, T. and Davies, W. 2019. Brain gene expression in a novel mouse model of postpartum mood disorder. Translational Neuroscience 10 (1), pp.168-174. (10.1515/tnsci-2019-0030)
2018
- Dent, C. L. et al. 2018. Impulsive choice in mice lacking paternal expression of Grb10 suggests intragenomic conflict in behavior. Genetics 209 (1), pp.233-239. (10.1534/genetics.118.300898)
- McNamara, G. I. et al. 2018. Dopaminergic and behavioral changes in a loss-of-imprinting model of Cdkn1c. Genes, Brain and Behavior 17 (2), pp.149-157. (10.1111/gbb.12422)
2017
- Humby, T. et al. 2017. A genetic variant within STS previously associated with inattention in boys with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is associated with enhanced cognition in healthy adult males. Brain and Behavior 7 (3) e00646. (10.1002/brb3.646)
2016
- Humby, T. et al. 2016. A pharmacological mouse model suggests a novel risk pathway for postpartum psychosis. Psychoneuroendocrinology 74 , pp.363-370. (10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.09.019)
- Dent, C. et al. 2016. Impulsive choices in mice lacking imprinted Nesp55. Genes, Brain and Behavior 15 (8), pp.693-701. (10.1111/gbb.12316)
- Chatterjee, S. , Humby, T. and Davies, W. 2016. Behavioural and psychiatric phenotypes in men and boys with X-linked ichthyosis: evidence from a worldwide online survey. PLoS ONE 11 (10), pp.e0164417. e0164417. (10.1371/journal.pone.0164417)
2015
- Davies, J. R. et al. 2015. Calorie seeking, but not hedonic response, contributes to hyperphagia in a mouse model for Prader-Willi syndrome. European Journal of Neuroscience 42 (4), pp.2105-2113. (10.1111/ejn.12972)
2014
- Davies, W. et al. 2014. Genetic and pharmacological modulation of the steroid sulfatase axis improves response control; comparison to drugs used in ADHD. Neuropsychopharmacology 39 , pp.2622-2632. (10.1038/npp.2014.115)
- Dent, C. , Isles, A. R. and Humby, T. 2014. Measuring risk-taking in mice: balancing the risk between seeking reward and danger. European Journal of Neuroscience 39 (4), pp.520-530. (10.1111/ejn.12430)
- Hiscox, L. , Leonaviciute, E. and Humby, T. 2014. The effects of automatic spelling correction software on understanding and comprehension in compensated dyslexia: improved recall following dictation. Dyslexia 20 (3), pp.208-224. (10.1002/dys.1480)
2013
- Kopsida, E. et al., 2013. Dissociable effects of sry and sex chromosome complement on activity, feeding and anxiety-related behaviours in mice. PLoS ONE 8 (8) e73699. (10.1371/journal.pone.0073699)
- Humby, T. et al. 2013. A novel translational assay of response inhibition and impulsivity: effects of prefrontal cortex lesions, drugs used in ADHD, and serotonin 2C receptor antagonism. Neuropsychopharmacology 38 (11), pp.2150-2159. (10.1038/npp.2013.112)
- Mikaelsson, M. A. et al. 2013. Placental programming of anxiety in adulthood revealed by lgf2-null models. Nature Communications 4 2311. (10.1038/ncomms3311)
- Reichelt, A. C. et al. 2013. Transgenic expression of the FTDP-17 tauV337M mutation in brain dissociates components of executive function in mice. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory 104 , pp.73-81. (10.1016/j.nlm.2013.05.005)
- Trent, S. et al. 2013. Biological mechanisms associated with increased perseveration and hyperactivity in a genetic mouse model of neurodevelopmental disorder. Psychoneuroendocrinology 38 (8), pp.1370-1380. (10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.12.002)
2012
- Trent, S. et al. 2012. Steroid sulfatase-deficient mice exhibit endophenotypes relevant to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Psychoneuroendocrinology 37 (2), pp.221-229. (10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.06.006)
- Relkovic, D. et al. 2012. Enhanced appetitive learning and reversal learning in a mouse model for Prader-Willi syndrome. Behavioral Neuroscience 126 (3), pp.488-492. (10.1037/a0028155)
- Trent, S. et al. 2012. Altered serotonergic function may partially account for behavioral endophenotypes in steroid sulfatase-deficient mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 37 (5), pp.1267-1274. (10.1038/npp.2011.314)
2011
- Humby, T. and Wilkinson, L. S. 2011. Assaying dissociable elements of behavioural inhibition and impulsivity: translational utility of animal models. Current Opinion in Pharmacology 11 (5), pp.534-539. (10.1016/j.coph.2011.06.006)
2010
- Relkovic, D. et al. 2010. Behavioural and cognitive abnormalities in an imprinting centre deletion mouse model for Prader–Willi syndrome. European Journal of Neuroscience 31 (1), pp.156-164. (10.1111/j.1460-9568.2009.07048.x)
2009
- Davies, W. et al. 2009. Converging pharmacological and genetic evidence indicates a role for steroid sulfatase in attention. Biological Psychiatry 66 (4), pp.360-367. (10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.01.001)
- Doe, C. M. et al. 2009. Loss of the imprinted snoRNA mbii-52 leads to increased 5htr2c pre-RNA editing and altered 5HT2CR-mediated behaviour. Human Molecular Genetics 18 (12), pp.2140-2148. (10.1093/hmg/ddp137)
2008
- Donald, S. et al., 2008. P-Rex2 regulates Purkinje cell dendrite morphology and motor coordination. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 105 (11), pp.4483-4488. (10.1073/pnas.0712324105)
- Davies, W. et al. 2008. What are imprinted genes doing in the brain?. In: Wilkins, J. F. ed. Genomic Imprinting. Advances in experimental medicine and biology Vol. 626.Berlin: Springer. , pp.62-70. (10.1007/978-0-387-77576-0_5)
- Doe, C. et al., 2008. 5-HT2CR pre-RNA editing, alternate splicing and function in a mouse model of Prader-Willi syndrome. Fundamental & Clinical Pharmacology 22 (s2), pp.125. (10.1111/j.1472-8206.2008.00601.x)
2007
- Lambourne, S. L. et al., 2007. Impairments in impulse control in animal models transgenic for the human FTPD-17 tauV337M mutation are exacerbated by age. Human Molecular Genetics 16 (14), pp.1708-1719. (10.1093/hmg/ddm119)
- Davies, W. et al. 2007. X-monosomy effects on visuospatial attention in mice: a candidate gene and implications for Turner syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Biological psychiatry 61 (12), pp.1351-1360. (10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.08.011)
- Davies, W. et al. 2007. What are imprinted genes doing in the brain? [Review]. Epigenetics 2 (4), pp.201-206. (10.4161/epi.2.4.5379)
2006
- Tofaris, G. K. et al., 2006. Pathological changes in dopaminergic nerve cells of the substantia nigra and olfactory bulb in mice transgenic for truncated human alpha-synuclein(1-120): implications for Lewy body disorders. Journal of Neuroscience 26 (15), pp.3942-3950. (10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4965-05.2006)
- Colebrooke, R. E. et al., 2006. Age-related decline in striatal dopamine content and motor performance occurs in the absence of nigral cell loss in a genetic mouse model of Parkinson's disease. European Journal of Neuroscience 24 (9), pp.2622-2630. (10.1111/j.1460-9568.2006.05143.x)
- Humby, T. and Wilkinson, L. S. 2006. If only they could talk - genetic mouse models for psychiatric disorders. In: Fish, G. S. and Flint, J. eds. Transgenic and Knockout Models of Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Contemporary Clinical Neuroscience Totowa, NJ: Humana Press. , pp.69-83. (10.1007/978-1-59745-058-4_4)
- Isles, A. R. and Humby, T. 2006. Modes of imprinted gene action in learning disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research 50 (5), pp.318-325. (10.1111/j.1365-2788.2006.00843.x)
2005
- Davies, W. et al. 2005. Xlr3b is a new imprinted candidate for X-linked parent-of-origin effects on cognitive function in mice. Nature Genetics 37 (6), pp.625-629. (10.1038/ng1577)
- Plagge, A. et al., 2005. Imprinted Nesp55 influences behavioral reactivity to novel environments. Molecular and Cellular Biology 25 (8), pp.3019-3026. (10.1128/MCB.25.8.3019-3026.2005)
- Humby, T. , Wilkinson, L. S. and Dawson, G. 2005. UNIT 8.5H assaying aspects of attention and impulse control in mice using the 5-choice serial reaction time task. In: Current Protocols in Neuroscience. Chichester: Wiley(10.1002/0471142301.ns0805hs31)
- Isles, A. R. et al. 2005. An mTph2 SNP gives rise to alterations in extracellular 5-HT levels, but not in performance on a delayed-reinforcement task. European Journal of Neuroscience 22 (4), pp.997-1000. (10.1111/j.1460-9568.2005.04265.x)
2004
- Isles, A. R. et al. 2004. Common genetic effects on variation in impulsivity and activity in mice. Journal of Neuroscience 24 (30), pp.6733-6740. (10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1650-04.2004)
2003
- Davies, W. et al., 2003. Evidence for X-linked imprinted gene functioning on cognition in mice; a possible neurochemical basis, and implications for cognitive sexual dimorphism [Abstract]. Journal of Psychopharmacology 17 (S), pp.A70.
- Isles, A. R. , Humby, T. and Wilkinson, L. S. 2003. Measuring impulsivity in mice using a novel operant delayed reinforcement task: effects of behavioural manipulations and d-amphetamine. Psychopharmacology 170 (4), pp.376-382. (10.1007/s00213-003-1551-6)
2001
- Baunez, C. et al., 2001. Effects of STN lesions on simple vs choice reaction time tasks in the rat: preserved motor readiness, but impaired response selection. European Journal of Neuroscience 13 (8), pp.1609-1616. (10.1046/j.0953-816x.2001.01521.x)
- Caine, S. B. et al., 2001. Behavioral effects of psychomotor stimulants in rats with dorsal or ventral subiculum lesions: Locomotion, cocaine self-administration, and prepulse inhibition of startle. Behavioral Neuroscience 115 (4), pp.880-894. (10.1037/0735-7044.115.4.880)
- Mooslehner, K. A. et al., 2001. Mice with Very Low Expression of the Vesicular Monoamine Transporter 2 Gene Survive into Adulthood: Potential Mouse Model for Parkinsonism. Molecular and Cellular Biology 21 (16), pp.5321-5331. (10.1128/MCB.21.16.5321-5331.2001)
2000
- Passetti, F. et al., 2000. Mixed attentional and executive deficits in medial frontal cortex lesioned rats. Psychobiology 28 (2), pp.261-271.
1999
- Carter, R. J. et al., 1999. Characterization of progressive motor deficits in mice transgenic for the human Huntington's disease mutation. The Journal of Neuroscience 19 (8), pp.3248-3257.
- Eagle, D. M. et al., 1999. Effects of regional striatal lesions on motor, motivational, and executive aspects of progressive-ratio performance in rats. Behavioral Neuroscience 113 (4), pp.718-731. (10.1037/0735-7044.113.4.718)
- Eagle, D. M. et al., 1999. Differential effects of ventral and regional dorsal striatal lesions on sucrose drinking and positive and negative contrast in rats. Psychobiology 27 (2), pp.267-276.
- French, S. J. et al., 1999. Hippocampal neurotrophin and trk receptor mRNA levels are altered by local administration of nicotine, carbachol and pilocarpine. Molecular Brain Research 67 (1), pp.124-136. (10.1016/S0169-328X(99)00048-0)
- Hall, F. S. et al., 1999. Maternal deprivation of neonatal rats produces enduring changes in dopamine function. Synapse 32 (1), pp.37-43. (10.1002/(SICI)1098-2396(199904)32:1<37::AID-SYN5>3.0.CO;2-4)
- Humby, T. et al. 1999. Visuospatial attentional functioning in mice: interactions between cholinergic manipulations and genotype. European Journal of Neuroscience 11 (8), pp.2813-2823. (10.1046/j.1460-9568.1999.00701.x)
1998
- Eagle, D. M. et al., 1998. A progressive ratio study of response to reward following striatal damage [Abstract]. European Journal of Neuroscience 10 (S), pp.418.
- Hall, F. S. et al., 1998. Isolation rearing in rats: Pre- and postsynaptic changes in striatal dopaminergic systems. Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior 59 (4), pp.859-872. (10.1016/S0091-3057(97)00510-8)
- Wilkinson, L. S. et al. 1998. Dissociations in dopamine release in medial prefrontal cortex and ventral striatum during the acquisition and extinction of classical aversive conditioning in the rat. European Journal of Neuroscience 10 (3), pp.1019-1026. (10.1046/j.1460-9568.1998.00119.x)
1997
- Brasted, P. J. et al., 1997. Unilateral lesions of the dorsal striatum in rats disrupt responding in egocentric space. The Journal of Neuroscience 17 (22), pp.8919-8926.
- Hall, F. S. et al., 1997. The effects of isolation-rearing of rats on behavioural responses to food and environmental novelty. Physiology & Behavior 62 (2), pp.281-290. (10.1016/S0031-9384(97)00115-7)
- Hall, F. S. et al., 1997. The effects of isolation-rearing on preference by rats for a novel environment. Physiology & Behavior 62 (2), pp.299-303. (10.1016/S0031-9384(97)00117-0)
- Hall, F. S. et al., 1997. The effects of isolation-rearing on sucrose consumption in rats. Physiology & Behavior 62 (2), pp.291-297. (10.1016/S0031-9384(97)00116-9)
1995
- Geyer, M. A. et al., 1995. Prepulse inhibition of startle-induced reductions of accumbens dopamine [Abstract]. Biological Psychiatry 37 (9), pp.634. (10.1016/0006-3223(95)94560-J)
- Wilkinson, L. S. et al. 1995. Differential Effects of Forebrain 5-Hydroxytryptamine Depletions on Pavlovian Aversive Conditioning to Discrete and Contextual Stimuli in the Rat. European Journal of Neuroscience 7 (10), pp.2042-2052. (10.1111/j.1460-9568.1995.tb00627.x)
Articles
- Humby, T. et al. 2026. Physiological and behavioural characterisation of a novel steroid sulfatase‐deficient mouse. Genes, Brain and Behavior 25 (4) e70061. (10.1111/gbb.70061)
- Hornsby, A. K. E. et al. 2026. Stress‐induced hyperphagia? Characterising the activity of the ghrelin axis in male rats with high anxiety behaviour. Journal of Neuroendocrinology 38 (1) e70106. (10.1111/jne.70106)
- Wren, G. et al. 2025. Monitoring heart rhythms in adult males with X-linked ichthyosis using wearable technology: a feasibility study. Archives of Dermatological Research 317 351. (10.1007/s00403-025-03884-x)
- Wren, G. et al. 2024. Monitoring heart rhythms in adult males with X-linked ichthyosis using wearable technology: a feasibility study. Research Square
- Wren, G. et al. 2024. Memory, mood and associated neuroanatomy in individuals with steroid sulfatase deficiency (X-linked ichthyosis). Genes, Brain and Behavior 23 (3) e12893. (10.1111/gbb.12893)
- Bosworth, M. L. et al. 2024. Sex-dependent effects of Setd1a haploinsufficiency on development and adult behaviour. PLoS ONE (10.1371/journal.pone.0298717)
- Wren, G. et al. 2023. Characterising heart rhythm abnormalities associated with Xp22.31 deletion. Journal of Medical Genetics 60 , pp.636-643. (10.1136/jmg-2022-108862)
- Wren, G. et al. 2022. Mood symptoms, neurodevelopmental traits, and their contributory factors in X-linked ichthyosis, ichthyosis vulgaris and psoriasis. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology 47 (6), pp.1097-1108. (10.1111/ced.15116)
- Pass, R. et al. 2022. Selective behavioural impairments in mice heterozygous for the cross disorder psychiatric risk gene DLG2. Genes, Brain and Behavior 21 (4) e12799. (10.1111/gbb.12799)
- Waldron, S. et al. 2022. Behavioural and molecular characterisation of the Dlg2 haploinsufficiency rat model of genetic risk for psychiatric disorder. Genes, Brain and Behavior 21 (4) e12797. (10.1111/gbb.12797)
- Westacott, L. J. et al. 2022. Complement C3 and C3aR mediate different aspects of emotional behaviours; relevance to risk for psychiatric disorder. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 99 , pp.70-82. (10.1016/j.bbi.2021.09.005)
- Westacott, L. J. et al. 2021. Dissociable effects of complement C3 and C3aR on survival and morphology of adult born hippocampal neurons, pattern separation, and cognitive flexibility in male mice. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 98 , pp.136-150. (10.1016/j.bbi.2021.08.215)
- Zahova, S. et al. 2021. Comparison of mouse models reveals a molecular distinction between psychotic illness in PWS and schizophrenia. Translational Psychiatry 11 433. (10.1038/s41398-021-01561-x)
- Dent, C. L. et al. 2020. Mice lacking paternal expression of imprinted 1 Grb10 are risk-takers. Genes, Brain and Behavior 19 (7) e12679. (10.1111/gbb.12679)
- Humby, T. et al. 2020. Effects of 5-HT2C, 5-HT1A receptor challenges and modafinil on the initiation and persistence of gambling behaviours. Psychopharmacology 237 , pp.1745-1756. (10.1007/s00213-020-05496-x)
- Sykes, L. et al. 2019. Genetic variation in the psychiatric risk gene CACNA1C modulates reversal learning across species. Schizophrenia Bulletin 45 (5), pp.1024-1032. (10.1093/schbul/sby146)
- Davies, J. R. et al. 2019. Prader-Willi syndrome imprinting centre deletion mice have impaired baseline and 5-HT2CR-mediated response inhibition. Human Molecular Genetics 28 (18), pp.3013-3023. (10.1093/hmg/ddz100)
- Silva, A. I. et al., 2019. Cyfip1 haploinsufficient rats show white matter changes, myelin thinning, abnormal oligodendrocytes and behavioural inflexibility. Nature Communications 10 3455. (10.1038/s41467-019-11119-7)
- Humby, T. et al. 2019. Feeding behaviour, risk-sensitivity and response control: effects of 5-HT 2C receptor manipulations. Philosophical Transactions B: Biological Sciences 374 (1766) 20180144. (10.1098/rstb.2018.0144)
- Isles, A. R. , Winstanley, C. A. and Humby, T. 2019. Risk taking and impulsive behaviour: fundamental discoveries, theoretical perspectives and clinical implications. Philosophical Transactions B: Biological Sciences 374 (1766), pp.-. 0128. (10.1098/rstb.2018.0128)
- Humby, T. and Davies, W. 2019. Brain gene expression in a novel mouse model of postpartum mood disorder. Translational Neuroscience 10 (1), pp.168-174. (10.1515/tnsci-2019-0030)
- Dent, C. L. et al. 2018. Impulsive choice in mice lacking paternal expression of Grb10 suggests intragenomic conflict in behavior. Genetics 209 (1), pp.233-239. (10.1534/genetics.118.300898)
- McNamara, G. I. et al. 2018. Dopaminergic and behavioral changes in a loss-of-imprinting model of Cdkn1c. Genes, Brain and Behavior 17 (2), pp.149-157. (10.1111/gbb.12422)
- Humby, T. et al. 2017. A genetic variant within STS previously associated with inattention in boys with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is associated with enhanced cognition in healthy adult males. Brain and Behavior 7 (3) e00646. (10.1002/brb3.646)
- Humby, T. et al. 2016. A pharmacological mouse model suggests a novel risk pathway for postpartum psychosis. Psychoneuroendocrinology 74 , pp.363-370. (10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.09.019)
- Dent, C. et al. 2016. Impulsive choices in mice lacking imprinted Nesp55. Genes, Brain and Behavior 15 (8), pp.693-701. (10.1111/gbb.12316)
- Chatterjee, S. , Humby, T. and Davies, W. 2016. Behavioural and psychiatric phenotypes in men and boys with X-linked ichthyosis: evidence from a worldwide online survey. PLoS ONE 11 (10), pp.e0164417. e0164417. (10.1371/journal.pone.0164417)
- Davies, J. R. et al. 2015. Calorie seeking, but not hedonic response, contributes to hyperphagia in a mouse model for Prader-Willi syndrome. European Journal of Neuroscience 42 (4), pp.2105-2113. (10.1111/ejn.12972)
- Davies, W. et al. 2014. Genetic and pharmacological modulation of the steroid sulfatase axis improves response control; comparison to drugs used in ADHD. Neuropsychopharmacology 39 , pp.2622-2632. (10.1038/npp.2014.115)
- Dent, C. , Isles, A. R. and Humby, T. 2014. Measuring risk-taking in mice: balancing the risk between seeking reward and danger. European Journal of Neuroscience 39 (4), pp.520-530. (10.1111/ejn.12430)
- Hiscox, L. , Leonaviciute, E. and Humby, T. 2014. The effects of automatic spelling correction software on understanding and comprehension in compensated dyslexia: improved recall following dictation. Dyslexia 20 (3), pp.208-224. (10.1002/dys.1480)
- Kopsida, E. et al., 2013. Dissociable effects of sry and sex chromosome complement on activity, feeding and anxiety-related behaviours in mice. PLoS ONE 8 (8) e73699. (10.1371/journal.pone.0073699)
- Humby, T. et al. 2013. A novel translational assay of response inhibition and impulsivity: effects of prefrontal cortex lesions, drugs used in ADHD, and serotonin 2C receptor antagonism. Neuropsychopharmacology 38 (11), pp.2150-2159. (10.1038/npp.2013.112)
- Mikaelsson, M. A. et al. 2013. Placental programming of anxiety in adulthood revealed by lgf2-null models. Nature Communications 4 2311. (10.1038/ncomms3311)
- Reichelt, A. C. et al. 2013. Transgenic expression of the FTDP-17 tauV337M mutation in brain dissociates components of executive function in mice. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory 104 , pp.73-81. (10.1016/j.nlm.2013.05.005)
- Trent, S. et al. 2013. Biological mechanisms associated with increased perseveration and hyperactivity in a genetic mouse model of neurodevelopmental disorder. Psychoneuroendocrinology 38 (8), pp.1370-1380. (10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.12.002)
- Trent, S. et al. 2012. Steroid sulfatase-deficient mice exhibit endophenotypes relevant to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Psychoneuroendocrinology 37 (2), pp.221-229. (10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.06.006)
- Relkovic, D. et al. 2012. Enhanced appetitive learning and reversal learning in a mouse model for Prader-Willi syndrome. Behavioral Neuroscience 126 (3), pp.488-492. (10.1037/a0028155)
- Trent, S. et al. 2012. Altered serotonergic function may partially account for behavioral endophenotypes in steroid sulfatase-deficient mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 37 (5), pp.1267-1274. (10.1038/npp.2011.314)
- Humby, T. and Wilkinson, L. S. 2011. Assaying dissociable elements of behavioural inhibition and impulsivity: translational utility of animal models. Current Opinion in Pharmacology 11 (5), pp.534-539. (10.1016/j.coph.2011.06.006)
- Relkovic, D. et al. 2010. Behavioural and cognitive abnormalities in an imprinting centre deletion mouse model for Prader–Willi syndrome. European Journal of Neuroscience 31 (1), pp.156-164. (10.1111/j.1460-9568.2009.07048.x)
- Davies, W. et al. 2009. Converging pharmacological and genetic evidence indicates a role for steroid sulfatase in attention. Biological Psychiatry 66 (4), pp.360-367. (10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.01.001)
- Doe, C. M. et al. 2009. Loss of the imprinted snoRNA mbii-52 leads to increased 5htr2c pre-RNA editing and altered 5HT2CR-mediated behaviour. Human Molecular Genetics 18 (12), pp.2140-2148. (10.1093/hmg/ddp137)
- Donald, S. et al., 2008. P-Rex2 regulates Purkinje cell dendrite morphology and motor coordination. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 105 (11), pp.4483-4488. (10.1073/pnas.0712324105)
- Doe, C. et al., 2008. 5-HT2CR pre-RNA editing, alternate splicing and function in a mouse model of Prader-Willi syndrome. Fundamental & Clinical Pharmacology 22 (s2), pp.125. (10.1111/j.1472-8206.2008.00601.x)
- Lambourne, S. L. et al., 2007. Impairments in impulse control in animal models transgenic for the human FTPD-17 tauV337M mutation are exacerbated by age. Human Molecular Genetics 16 (14), pp.1708-1719. (10.1093/hmg/ddm119)
- Davies, W. et al. 2007. X-monosomy effects on visuospatial attention in mice: a candidate gene and implications for Turner syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Biological psychiatry 61 (12), pp.1351-1360. (10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.08.011)
- Davies, W. et al. 2007. What are imprinted genes doing in the brain? [Review]. Epigenetics 2 (4), pp.201-206. (10.4161/epi.2.4.5379)
- Tofaris, G. K. et al., 2006. Pathological changes in dopaminergic nerve cells of the substantia nigra and olfactory bulb in mice transgenic for truncated human alpha-synuclein(1-120): implications for Lewy body disorders. Journal of Neuroscience 26 (15), pp.3942-3950. (10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4965-05.2006)
- Colebrooke, R. E. et al., 2006. Age-related decline in striatal dopamine content and motor performance occurs in the absence of nigral cell loss in a genetic mouse model of Parkinson's disease. European Journal of Neuroscience 24 (9), pp.2622-2630. (10.1111/j.1460-9568.2006.05143.x)
- Isles, A. R. and Humby, T. 2006. Modes of imprinted gene action in learning disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research 50 (5), pp.318-325. (10.1111/j.1365-2788.2006.00843.x)
- Davies, W. et al. 2005. Xlr3b is a new imprinted candidate for X-linked parent-of-origin effects on cognitive function in mice. Nature Genetics 37 (6), pp.625-629. (10.1038/ng1577)
- Plagge, A. et al., 2005. Imprinted Nesp55 influences behavioral reactivity to novel environments. Molecular and Cellular Biology 25 (8), pp.3019-3026. (10.1128/MCB.25.8.3019-3026.2005)
- Isles, A. R. et al. 2005. An mTph2 SNP gives rise to alterations in extracellular 5-HT levels, but not in performance on a delayed-reinforcement task. European Journal of Neuroscience 22 (4), pp.997-1000. (10.1111/j.1460-9568.2005.04265.x)
- Isles, A. R. et al. 2004. Common genetic effects on variation in impulsivity and activity in mice. Journal of Neuroscience 24 (30), pp.6733-6740. (10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1650-04.2004)
- Davies, W. et al., 2003. Evidence for X-linked imprinted gene functioning on cognition in mice; a possible neurochemical basis, and implications for cognitive sexual dimorphism [Abstract]. Journal of Psychopharmacology 17 (S), pp.A70.
- Isles, A. R. , Humby, T. and Wilkinson, L. S. 2003. Measuring impulsivity in mice using a novel operant delayed reinforcement task: effects of behavioural manipulations and d-amphetamine. Psychopharmacology 170 (4), pp.376-382. (10.1007/s00213-003-1551-6)
- Baunez, C. et al., 2001. Effects of STN lesions on simple vs choice reaction time tasks in the rat: preserved motor readiness, but impaired response selection. European Journal of Neuroscience 13 (8), pp.1609-1616. (10.1046/j.0953-816x.2001.01521.x)
- Caine, S. B. et al., 2001. Behavioral effects of psychomotor stimulants in rats with dorsal or ventral subiculum lesions: Locomotion, cocaine self-administration, and prepulse inhibition of startle. Behavioral Neuroscience 115 (4), pp.880-894. (10.1037/0735-7044.115.4.880)
- Mooslehner, K. A. et al., 2001. Mice with Very Low Expression of the Vesicular Monoamine Transporter 2 Gene Survive into Adulthood: Potential Mouse Model for Parkinsonism. Molecular and Cellular Biology 21 (16), pp.5321-5331. (10.1128/MCB.21.16.5321-5331.2001)
- Passetti, F. et al., 2000. Mixed attentional and executive deficits in medial frontal cortex lesioned rats. Psychobiology 28 (2), pp.261-271.
- Carter, R. J. et al., 1999. Characterization of progressive motor deficits in mice transgenic for the human Huntington's disease mutation. The Journal of Neuroscience 19 (8), pp.3248-3257.
- Eagle, D. M. et al., 1999. Effects of regional striatal lesions on motor, motivational, and executive aspects of progressive-ratio performance in rats. Behavioral Neuroscience 113 (4), pp.718-731. (10.1037/0735-7044.113.4.718)
- Eagle, D. M. et al., 1999. Differential effects of ventral and regional dorsal striatal lesions on sucrose drinking and positive and negative contrast in rats. Psychobiology 27 (2), pp.267-276.
- French, S. J. et al., 1999. Hippocampal neurotrophin and trk receptor mRNA levels are altered by local administration of nicotine, carbachol and pilocarpine. Molecular Brain Research 67 (1), pp.124-136. (10.1016/S0169-328X(99)00048-0)
- Hall, F. S. et al., 1999. Maternal deprivation of neonatal rats produces enduring changes in dopamine function. Synapse 32 (1), pp.37-43. (10.1002/(SICI)1098-2396(199904)32:1<37::AID-SYN5>3.0.CO;2-4)
- Humby, T. et al. 1999. Visuospatial attentional functioning in mice: interactions between cholinergic manipulations and genotype. European Journal of Neuroscience 11 (8), pp.2813-2823. (10.1046/j.1460-9568.1999.00701.x)
- Eagle, D. M. et al., 1998. A progressive ratio study of response to reward following striatal damage [Abstract]. European Journal of Neuroscience 10 (S), pp.418.
- Hall, F. S. et al., 1998. Isolation rearing in rats: Pre- and postsynaptic changes in striatal dopaminergic systems. Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior 59 (4), pp.859-872. (10.1016/S0091-3057(97)00510-8)
- Wilkinson, L. S. et al. 1998. Dissociations in dopamine release in medial prefrontal cortex and ventral striatum during the acquisition and extinction of classical aversive conditioning in the rat. European Journal of Neuroscience 10 (3), pp.1019-1026. (10.1046/j.1460-9568.1998.00119.x)
- Brasted, P. J. et al., 1997. Unilateral lesions of the dorsal striatum in rats disrupt responding in egocentric space. The Journal of Neuroscience 17 (22), pp.8919-8926.
- Hall, F. S. et al., 1997. The effects of isolation-rearing of rats on behavioural responses to food and environmental novelty. Physiology & Behavior 62 (2), pp.281-290. (10.1016/S0031-9384(97)00115-7)
- Hall, F. S. et al., 1997. The effects of isolation-rearing on preference by rats for a novel environment. Physiology & Behavior 62 (2), pp.299-303. (10.1016/S0031-9384(97)00117-0)
- Hall, F. S. et al., 1997. The effects of isolation-rearing on sucrose consumption in rats. Physiology & Behavior 62 (2), pp.291-297. (10.1016/S0031-9384(97)00116-9)
- Geyer, M. A. et al., 1995. Prepulse inhibition of startle-induced reductions of accumbens dopamine [Abstract]. Biological Psychiatry 37 (9), pp.634. (10.1016/0006-3223(95)94560-J)
- Wilkinson, L. S. et al. 1995. Differential Effects of Forebrain 5-Hydroxytryptamine Depletions on Pavlovian Aversive Conditioning to Discrete and Contextual Stimuli in the Rat. European Journal of Neuroscience 7 (10), pp.2042-2052. (10.1111/j.1460-9568.1995.tb00627.x)
Book sections
- Davies, W. et al. 2008. What are imprinted genes doing in the brain?. In: Wilkins, J. F. ed. Genomic Imprinting. Advances in experimental medicine and biology Vol. 626.Berlin: Springer. , pp.62-70. (10.1007/978-0-387-77576-0_5)
- Humby, T. and Wilkinson, L. S. 2006. If only they could talk - genetic mouse models for psychiatric disorders. In: Fish, G. S. and Flint, J. eds. Transgenic and Knockout Models of Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Contemporary Clinical Neuroscience Totowa, NJ: Humana Press. , pp.69-83. (10.1007/978-1-59745-058-4_4)
- Humby, T. , Wilkinson, L. S. and Dawson, G. 2005. UNIT 8.5H assaying aspects of attention and impulse control in mice using the 5-choice serial reaction time task. In: Current Protocols in Neuroscience. Chichester: Wiley(10.1002/0471142301.ns0805hs31)
Research
This page is being updated (Feb 2026)
Teaching
I teach in 1st and 2nd year (Levels 4 and 5) modules, with introductory lectures about individual differences (intelligence, personality and abnormal psychology/mental health conditions) in the 1st year (PS1016). In the 2nd year, I teach in the Mental Health and Clinical Psychology module (PS2028) with lectures covering ADHD and neurocognitive diseases.
I am also the module co-ordinator for the 2nd year (Level 5) module PS2028 Mental Health and Clinical Psychology. In this position I have responsibility for convening the different pieces of coursework and final exam, and the smooth running of the module.
I supervise final year (Level 6) projects across a wide variety of subjects, on average 6 students per year. I am happy to supervise across most themes or areas (subject to practicality – i.e. being able to actually do the experiment! (access to certain specific resources, participant groups etc) - but can also apply an interesting twist to one of my ideas to mix with student interests. I am also keen that project themes relate to student career pathway/ambitions.
I am MSc (Level 7) Placement Supervisor/marker for the PST725 module.
I am also supervisor to PhD students.
Biography
Current position
- Researcher in Behavioural Neuroscience
- Lecturer for Year 1 and year 2 modules
- PhD and MSc supervisor
- Chair School of Psychology Research Ethics Committee (SREC)
- Non-school member of Schools of Medicine and Law/Politics ethics committees
I completed my undergraduate degree in Neurobiology at Sussex. Following graduation I worked as a research assistant with Dr Tom Collet at Sussex, carrying on with my final year research project on learning in honeybees. I then moved to Cambridge where I worked with Professors Joe Herbert, Batty Everitt and Mick Hastings in the department of Anatomy, before moving to the department of Experimental Psychology, working with Professor Trevor Robbins. From here I moved to the Cambridge Brain Repair Centre, working with Professor Steve Dunnett before starting my PhD studies, supervised by Professor Lawrence Wilkinson at the Babraham Institute, Cambridge.
In 2006 I moved to Cardiff University, as a lecturer, based in the school of Psychology but also working in the school of Medicine. I have subsequently been promoted to senior lecturer and am currently a Reader.
Undergraduate education
Bachelor of Science (with Honours) in Neurobiology, University of Sussex
Postgraduate education
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Cambridge. Thesis title, 'Effects of mutations of genes involved in familial Alzheimer’s disease on behavioural and neural functioning’. Supervisor: Dr. Lawrence Wilkinson.
Memberships
- British Association of Psychopharmacology (BAP, since 1990)
- British Neuroscience Association (BNA, since 1989)
- Society for Neuroscience (SFN, since 2000)
- The Genetics Society (since 2009)
Other
Reviewer of submitted manuscripts for European Journal of Neuroscience, Psychopharmacology, Behavioural Brain Research, Journal of Psychopharmacology
Grant reviewer for MRC, BBSRC, Wellcome, Waterloo Foundation
Honours and awards
Supervisions
Postgraduate research interests
I am interested in how genetic background and early environmental factors interact to give rise to long term, enduring effects on brain function and behaviour. Studies can involve pre-clinical model analysis of behavour and congition, linked with molecular and anatocial investigations. These studies utilising genetically modified models, linked to conditions such as schizophrenia and ADHD, but also the effects of sex-related genes and the role of the complement system on brain function. But also, I am interested in the translational aspects of this work.
If you are interested in applying for a PhD, or for further information regarding my postgraduate research, please contact me directly (contact details available on the 'Overview' page), or submit a formal application.
I am currently supervisor for:
Nina Brett "A combined animal model and human genetics approach to test the hypothesis that abnormal CCN3 secretion and calcium metabolism influence postpartum mood disorder risk " (2025 start)
Lara Lennon "Characterising a humanised complement C4A expressing mouse model to understand genetic and environmental risk factors in schizophrenia" (2025 start)
Future projects
Characterising and managing mental and physical health challenges in congenital skin conditions
Past projects
Georgina Wren Exploring the psychological and physiological issues associated with X-linked ichthyosis (2020 to 2024)
Simona Zahova Examining the role of the Prader-Willi syndrome critical interval in psychiatric illness and cognition (2017 to 2021)
Mathew Bosworth Functional consequences of Setd1a haploinsufficiency: from gestation to behaviour (2015 to 2019)
Manal Adam Epigenetics and neurodevelopmental disorders: Molecular and behavioural characterisation of an Ehmt1/Glp knockout mouse model (2015 to 2019)
Laura Westacott Neuroimmune regulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis by Complement Component 3 and Complement C3a Receptor (2012 to 2016)
Claire Dent Imprinted genes, impulsivity and risk-taking (2010 to 2014)
Jessica Eddy Effects of ENU mutations of Zfp804a on behavioural phenotypes (2009 to 2013)
Mikael Mikaelsson "Foetal programming of brain function and behaviour : a behavioural and molecular characterisation of a murine placental imprinted gene deletion model (2006 to 2010)
I have also acted as mentor to a number of other students in the schools of Psychology, Medicine and Biosciences (PSYCH unless otherwise listed):
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Freya Shepherd (MEDIC) Sophie Waldron (MEDIC/PSYCH) Emma Clark Bhavana Gupta (MEDIC/BIOSCI) Lucy Sykes (MEDIC) Ana Silva (MEDIC) |
Ian Fox (BIOSCI) Natalia Galindo Riera (BIOSCI) Minika Teresa Sledziowska (BIOSCI) Amanda Hornsby (BIOSCI) Lucy Chester (MEDIC) Rachel Pass (MEDIC) |