Fields of Research

• Neurobiology and Behavior
• Drug Discovery and Precision Medicine
• Molecular Basis of Disease

Research Summary

We study the neurobiology of motivation using cutting-edge techniques to uncover novel cell types and functional alterations that occur in a variety of disease states

Research Statement

In order to survive and effectively navigate an ever-changing and unpredictable environment, organisms must readily adapt their behavior to seek out needed resources, while simultaneously avoiding life-threatening situations. These opposing processes are controlled by neural circuitry that is readily engaged by both environmental and physiological factors to promote behavioral output. The work of my lab studies the precise neural circuits that control both reward and aversive-related behavioral responses. By utilizing optogenetics, calcium imaging, and single cell sequencing, we aim to delineate the precise functional interactions between molecularly distinct neuronal populations that are critical for the generation of these critical behavioral states. A holistic understanding of the interconnected neural circuit elements that mediate diverse motivational behaviors will likely provide important insight into a variety of complex neurological and neuropsychiatric illnesses such as addiction, pain, and emotional disorders.

Awards and Honors

1999 Mary Gates Research Training Grant recipient

2000 Guthrie Prize for outstanding writing in Psychology at the University of Washington

2003 10th International Conference on In Vivo Methods travel award

2003 NIDA Frontiers in Addiction Research travel award

2004 University of North Carolina Mentoring Award for Undergraduate Research

2007 Irwin J. Kopin Award for Excellence in Catecholamines Research (Catecholamines Gordon Research Conference, Oxford, UK

2009 Poster Prize, Winter Conference on Brain Research, Copper Mountain, CO

2011 American College of Neuropsychopharmacology travel award recipient

2013 Pierre Morell Mentor of the Year Award presented by the UNC Neurobiology Curriculum

2013 The Freedman Prize for Outstanding Basic Research from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation (NARSAD)

2014 Independent Investigator Award, Brain and Behavior Research Foundation (NARSAD)

2014 UNC Hettleman Prize for Artistic and Scholarly Achievement by Young Faculty

2015 Gill Transformative Investigator Award presented by Indiana University

2016 UNC Yang Family Biomedical Scholars Award

2017 NIH MERIT Award

2017 Jacob P. Waletzky Award presented by the Society for Neuroscience

2017 Daniel Efron Award presented by the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology