On Apr. 16, 2018, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) awarded a $12.7 million grant to Emory University’sﾠ Yerkes National Primate Research Centerﾠ and Brain Health Center for oxytocin research.

The goal of the Conte Center research during the was to use cutting-edge technologies, including CRISPR gene editing and optogenetics, in research with rodents and nonhuman primates to understand more precisely the way oxytocin acts in the brain, including its role in neural communication and social functioning.