Founded in December of 2000, the Sackler Institute is a medical school-wide organization established to support early developmental research into the roots of vulnerability to psychiatric illness. Dr. Hofer is director of the Institute, Dr. Fifer is assistant director, Dr. Myers is co-chief of the Behavioral Neuroscience Division.  Dr. Gingrich directs the Laboratory of Mouse Genetics and Behavior, Bradley Peterson directs the Developmental Neuro-imaging Laboratories, Dr. Myrna Weissman is Chief of the Clinical Division and Dr. Thomas Jessell directs the Basic Science Division.

The Institute has received additional funding for an interdisciplinary study of the developmental effects of serotonin transporter function, involving 6 different laboratories. This project is aimed at gaining a better understanding of the untoward effects of SSRI type drugs in younger patients and fetuses as well as the seemingly paradoxical effects of genetic polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter in clinical populations and of targeted gene alterations in mice in which vulnerability to depression is increased.