Serotonin (5-HT) is integral to a wide array of physiological processes and behaviors. Alcohol use disrupts serotonin systems, triggering a cascade of effects that span across multiple interconnected domains of neural functioning. As a consequence, long-term alcohol use is associated with higher rates of psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety.

A major focus of our lab is on elucidating the role of 5-HT in the pathophysiology of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and its impact on affective and behavioral states.

Alcohol is a strong predictor of aggressive behavior. In humans, there is a positive linear relationship between drinking frequency and interpersonal physical violence. Similar effects exist cross-species, as excessive alcohol intake increases aggressive behavior in a number of model organisms.

Our ongoing work examines the impact of binge alcohol on cortical 5-HT signaling and its relation to aggression in mice.

Drug-predictive stimuli are critical for motivating, directing, and maintaining drug-seeking behavior, including the phenomenon of relapse after a period of abstinence.

Our work examines the learning and motivational processes that influence drug-seeking behavior and their underlying neurobiology. We are especially interested in identifying the subcircuits that govern the rewarding and aversive states induced by drugs of abuse and associated stimuli.

We use animal models to study the complex neurobiological phenomena that underlie behavior and affect. Working cross-species and with well validated models, we emphasize translating our preclinical findings to humans. Our main goal is to find more effective treatments for psychiatric disease.

• anatomical tracing

• functional circuit mapping

• chemogenetics

• optogenetics

• immunohistochemistry

• in situ hybridization

• electrophysiology

• fiber photometry

• neurotransmitter biosensors

• calcium imaging

• machine-assisted learning

• unbiased automated analysis of complex behavior