Faculty

Max E Joffe, PhD

Max E Joffe, PhD

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry

Contact Details

3811 O'Hara St.
Pittsburgh
 
PA
 
15213
Email
Website
Joffe Lab

Education & Training

PhD
Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University
Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University

Professional Affiliations

Associate Member, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology
Memberand Board of Directors (2025-2029), Research Society on Alcohol
Member, International Narcotics Research Conference
Editorial Board, Neuropharmacology

Selected Honors & Awards

Neuropsychopharmacology Editors Early Career Award, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology
Avenir Award for Chemistry and Pharmacology of Substance Use Disorders (DP1), National Institute on Drug Abuse
Hamilton Family Award for Basic Neuroscience Research in Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Department of Psychiatry
NARSAD Young Investigator Award, Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

Research Interests

Prefrontal cortex; interneurons; Novel pharmacology; Alcohol and opioid use disorders
Selected Research Publications & Products
  1. Cole RH, Allichon MC, Joffe ME. Mu and Delta opioid receptors modulate inhibition within the prefrontal cortex through dissociable cellular and molecular mechanisms. J Neurosci. 2025 Jul 2;45(27):e1963242025. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1963-24.2025. PMID: 40393805.
  2. Fabian CB, Jordan ND, Cole RH, Carley LG, Thompson SM, Seney ML, Joffe ME. Parvalbumin interneuron mGlu5 receptors govern sex differences in prefrontal cortex physiology and binge drinking. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2024 May 21. doi: 10.1038/s41386-024-01889-0. PMID: 38773314.
  3. Thompson SM, Fabian CB, Ferranti AS, Joffe ME. Acute alcohol and chronic drinking bidirectionally regulate the excitability of prefrontal cortex vasoactive intestinal peptide interneurons. Neuropharmacology. 2023 Nov 1;238:109638. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109638. Epub 2023 Jul 22.
  4. Ferranti AS, Johnson KA, Winder DG, Conn PJ, Joffe ME. Prefrontal cortex parvalbumin interneurons exhibit decreased excitability and potentiated synaptic strength after ethanol reward learning. Alcohol. 2022 Feb 26; 101:17-26. doi: 10.1016.j.alcohol.2022.02.003
  5. Joffe ME, Maksymetz J, Luschinger JR, Dogra S, Ferranti AS, Luessen DJ, Gallinger IM, Xiang Z, Branthwaite H, Melugin PR, Williford KM, Centanni SW, Shields BC, Lindsley CW, Calipari ES, Siciliano CA, Niswender CM, Tadross MR, Winder DG, Conn PJ. Acute restraint stress redirects prefrontal cortex circuit function through mGlu5 receptor plasticity on somatostatin-expressing interneurons. Neuron. 2022 Jan 13:S0896-6273(21)01044-8. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.12.027.

Education Interests

Research mentoring; Graduate & medical student education

Journal of Neuroscience: Opioid Receptors Modulate Inhibition within the Prefrontal Cortex Through Dissociable Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms

Image from Joffe et al. Journal of Neuroscience 2025

The prefrontal cortex is critical for regulating affective and motivational processing, and dysfunction of these processes is associated with psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, and drug and alcohol use disorders. Because prefrontal cortex function is maintained by a diverse pool of GABAergic interneurons, the manipulation of prefrontal cortex interneurons has potential to...

Pitt Psychiatry News from the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology Annual Meeting

ACNP

Many University of Pittsburgh Psychiatry faculty and trainees attended the recent American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) annal meeting to learn about and present new research and to connect with colleagues. Below is a recap of Pitt Psychiatry News from the meeting: ACNP Council Susanne Ahmari, MD, PhD (Associate Professor of Psychiatry), was elected to a three-year term on the ACNP Council. Dr. Ahmari...

Neuropsychopharmacology: Parvalbumin Interneuron mGlu5 Receptors Govern Sex Differences in Prefrontal Cortex Physiology and Binge Drinking

Dr. Max Joffe

Despite established sex differences in the prevalence and presentation of psychiatric disorders, little is known about the cellular and synaptic mechanisms that guide these differences under basal conditions. Proper function of the prefrontal cortex is essential for the top-down regulation of motivated behaviors. The activity of the prefrontal cortex is tightly controlled by parvalbumin-expressing interneurons, a...

The Department of Psychiatry’s Biggest-Ever Research Day

2023 Pitt Psychiatry Research Day Session

The 21st annual Department of Psychiatry Research Day, held on June 8, 2023 was the biggest Research Day ever, attended by more than 500 faculty members, trainees, and staff, and featuring 160 posters at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh.   Lunchtime roundtables followed the morning poster session. More than 250 participants joined one of 30 roundtable discussion groups...

The Department of Psychiatry’s 20th Annual Research Day

The 20th annual Department of Psychiatry Research Day on June 9, 2022, represented a joyful reunion for more than 400 faculty members, trainees, and staff, who had not attended a large in-person event together since 2019. The morning session featured 110 posters at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh. In the afternoon, attendees gathered across the street at the University...