Betsy Schulman, PhD
Cards
About
Titles
Associate Research Scientist
Clinical Research Scientist, Neurology; Managing Editor, The NeuroscientistBiography
Dr. Schulman graduated from the University of Michigan in 1997 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. She pursued a Masters of Basic Medical Science at Wayne State Medical School followed by a PhD in Developmental Biology at Yale University, awarded in 2006. Dr. Schulman has remained at Yale University School of Medicine ever since. Since 2010, she has been researching the genetics of neuropathic pain including the rare genetic disorder, Erythromelalgia, at the Center for Neuroscience and Regeneration Research as a Clinical Research Scientist, and she also serves as the Managing Editor of the scientific journal, The Neuroscientist. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, cooking & exercising.
Appointments
Neurology
Associate Research ScientistPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- Post-Doctoral Associate
- Yale University School of Medicine (2010)
- PhD
- Yale University, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (2007)
- MS
- Wayne State University School of Medicine, Basic Medical Science (1999)
- BFA
- University of Michigan, Ceramics (1997)
Research
Publications
2024
TRPM8 mutations associated with persistent ocular pain after refractive surgery: D665N and V915M
Ghovanloo M, Effraim P, Tyagi S, Cheng X, Yuan J, Schulman B, Jacobs D, Dib-Hajj S, Waxman S. TRPM8 mutations associated with persistent ocular pain after refractive surgery: D665N and V915M. Biophysical Journal 2024, 123: 391a. DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.11.2376.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2023
Nav1.7 P610T mutation in two siblings with persistent ocular pain after corneal axon transection: impaired slow inactivation and hyperexcitable trigeminal neurons
Ghovanloo M, Effraim P, Yuan J, Schulman B, Jacobs D, Dib-Hajj S, Waxman S. Nav1.7 P610T mutation in two siblings with persistent ocular pain after corneal axon transection: impaired slow inactivation and hyperexcitable trigeminal neurons. Journal Of Neurophysiology 2023, 129: 609-618. PMID: 36722722, PMCID: PMC9988530, DOI: 10.1152/jn.00457.2022.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPersistent ocular painTrigeminal ganglion neuronsOcular painCorneal refractive surgeryGanglion neuronsRefractive surgeryAxonal injurySlow inactivationHuman pain modelTrigeminal afferent nervesTrigeminal ganglion axonsSmall subgroupPain-related disordersEffects of injurySodium channel Nav1.7Channel slow inactivationEye painPostoperative painMost patientsPain modelAfferent nervesPersistent painTrigeminal neuronsNav1.7 mutationAxon transectionNav1.7-P610T mutation in 2 siblings with persistent ocular pain after corneal axon transection: impaired slow-inactivation and hyperexcitable trigeminal neurons
J Neurophysiol. 2023 Feb 1. doi: 10.1152/jn.00457.2022. Online ahead of print.Peer-Reviewed Original Research In Press
2021
KCNQ variants and pain modulation: a missense variant in Kv7.3 contributes to pain resilience
Yuan JH, Estacion M, Mis MA, Tanaka BS, Schulman BR, Chen L, Liu S, Dib-Hajj FB, Dib-Hajj SD, Waxman SG. KCNQ variants and pain modulation: a missense variant in Kv7.3 contributes to pain resilience. Brain Communications 2021, 3: fcab212-. PMID: 34557669, PMCID: PMC8454204, DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcab212.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPluripotent stem cell-derived sensory neuronsNav1.7 mutationSensory neuronsPain ProfilePain phenotypesPain resilienceDorsal root ganglion neuronsDaily pain diaryPeripheral sensory neuronsMissense variantsVoltage-clamp recordingsSodium channel Nav1.7Different pain experiencesPotential genetic factorsWhole-exome sequencingLarger M-currentsErythromelalgia patientsNeuropathic painPain episodesModerate painPain diaryPain modulationSevere painInter-individual variabilityGanglion neurons
2020
Genomic analysis of 21 patients with corneal neuralgia after refractive surgery
Yuan JH, Schulman BR, Effraim PR, Sulayman DH, Jacobs DS, Waxman SG. Genomic analysis of 21 patients with corneal neuralgia after refractive surgery. PAIN Reports 2020, 5: e826. PMID: 32766464, PMCID: PMC7390595, DOI: 10.1097/pr9.0000000000000826.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCorneal neuralgiaRefractive surgeryWhole-exome sequencingSmall fiber neuropathySmall patient cohortSubgroup of casesIntractable painPersistent painPatient cohortPhotorefractive keratectomyObscure etiologySitu keratomileusisSurgeryNeuralgiaGenetic factorsMissense variantsExome databasesPainFurther studiesUnrelated familiesPatientsPathogenesisGene-based association testsIon channelsGenes/variants
2019
A Novel Gain-of-Function Nav1.9 Mutation in a Child With Episodic Pain
Huang J, Estacion M, Zhao P, Dib-Hajj FB, Schulman B, Abicht A, Kurth I, Brockmann K, Waxman SG, Dib-Hajj SD. A Novel Gain-of-Function Nav1.9 Mutation in a Child With Episodic Pain. Frontiers In Neuroscience 2019, 13: 918. PMID: 31551682, PMCID: PMC6733892, DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00918.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDorsal root gangliaDRG neuronsEpisodic painVoltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.9Episodic abdominal painLarger window currentSmall DRG neuronsTrigeminal ganglion neuronsCurrent-clamp recordingsAction potential firingHuman pain disordersVoltage-clamp recordingsChronic constipationAbdominal painMyenteric neuronsPain disordersGanglion neuronsPain phenotypesRoot gangliaCommon painNav1.9PainAction potentialsWindow currentPhenotypic spectrum
2018
Resilience to Pain: A Peripheral Component Identified Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Dynamic Clamp
Mis MA, Yang Y, Tanaka BS, Gomis-Perez C, Liu S, Dib-Hajj F, Adi T, Garcia-Milian R, Schulman BR, Dib-Hajj SD, Waxman SG. Resilience to Pain: A Peripheral Component Identified Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Dynamic Clamp. Journal Of Neuroscience 2018, 39: 382-392. PMID: 30459225, PMCID: PMC6335750, DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2433-18.2018.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdultChildChronic PainErythromelalgiaExcitatory Postsynaptic PotentialsExomeFemaleGanglia, SpinalHumansImmunohistochemistryIndividualityInduced Pluripotent Stem CellsKCNQ Potassium ChannelsMaleMembrane PotentialsNAV1.7 Voltage-Gated Sodium ChannelPain MeasurementPatch-Clamp TechniquesResilience, PsychologicalSensory Receptor CellsConceptsWhole-exome sequencingPeripheral sensory neuronsSensory neuronsSpecific gene variantsGene variantsPluripotent stem cell-derived sensory neuronsInterindividual differencesDorsal root ganglion neuronsExome sequencingDifferent pain profilesDRG neuron excitabilityDynamic clampPeripheral nervous systemStem cellsPain ProfilePluripotent stem cellsChronic painPeripheral mechanismsGanglion neuronsNeuron excitabilityPainNervous systemHuman genetic modelsNeuronsDifferent gene variantsPharmacotherapy for Pain in a Family with Inherited Erythromelalgia Guided by Genomic Analysis and Functional Profiling
Geha P, Yang Y, Estacion M, Schulman B, Tokuno H, Apkarian A, Dib-Hajj S, Waxman S. Pharmacotherapy for Pain in a Family with Inherited Erythromelalgia Guided by Genomic Analysis and Functional Profiling. 2018, 275-288. DOI: 10.7551/mitpress/10310.003.0031.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchBrain activity associated with pain in inherited erythromelalgia: stimulus-free pain engages brain areas involved in valuation and learning
Geha P, Schulman BR, Dib-Hajj SD, Waxman SG. Brain activity associated with pain in inherited erythromelalgia: stimulus-free pain engages brain areas involved in valuation and learning. Neurobiology Of Pain 2018, 3: 8-14. PMID: 31080911, PMCID: PMC6505710, DOI: 10.1016/j.ynpai.2018.01.002.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSupplementary motor areaMotor areaBrain areasPrefrontal cortexChronic pain disordersChronic pain conditionsRostral anterior cingulate cortexSodium channel Nav1.7Anterior cingulate cortexMedial prefrontal cortexSuperior parietal lobuleVentro-medial prefrontal cortexAcute painSevere painPain conditionsPain disordersFunctional brain imagingMotor cortexFrontal cortexPainThermal heat painChannel Nav1.7Cingulate cortexVentral striatumParietal lobuleA novel gain-of-function Nav1.7 mutation in a carbamazepine-responsive patient with adult-onset painful peripheral neuropathy
Adi T, Estacion M, Schulman BR, Vernino S, Dib-Hajj S, Waxman S. A novel gain-of-function Nav1.7 mutation in a carbamazepine-responsive patient with adult-onset painful peripheral neuropathy. Molecular Pain 2018, 14: 1744806918815007. PMID: 30392441, PMCID: PMC6856981, DOI: 10.1177/1744806918815007.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPainful peripheral neuropathyDorsal root gangliaPeripheral neuropathyUse-dependent inhibitionDRG neuronsPain disordersM variantFunction Nav1.7 mutationsMulti-electrode array recordingsSympathetic ganglion neuronsCommon pain disordersVoltage-clamp recordingsVoltage-gated sodium channel NaRare MendelianNav1.7 mutationGanglion neuronsSodium channel NaTrigeminal ganglionRoot gangliaNeonatal ratsPatientsNeuropathyMutant channelsFunction variantsNeurons