Neurobiology- Postdoctoral Scholar

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Portal • Birmingham, AL

3d

About The Position

The main goal of our research is to identify the neural circuits controlling motivated behaviors, primarily those controlling drug seeking. We are especially interested in understanding how these circuits change as the animal takes more and more drug over time, and how these changes alter the ability of drug-associated cues to trigger relapse. We are also interested in circuits controlling the inhibition of learned behaviors and the active suppression of motivational impulses. Using preclinical self-administration models of addiction (substance use disorder), we have discovered the infralimbic prefrontal cortex is a key component of the neural circuitry responsible for inhibiting drug seeking. Much of our work focuses on neuroanatomical inputs and outputs to/from this brain region. We use optogenetic and chemogenetic viral strategies to manipulate neuronal activity within defined neural pathways and cell types and fiber photometry to record neuronal population activity with calcium sensors (GCaMP, RCaMP) in vivo during behavioral tasks. In addition to these techniques, the lab also routinely uses immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy to visualize and image the neurons we manipulate, as well as perform neuroanatomical tracing and Fos expression analyses (Fos = a biochemical marker for neuronal activation).

Requirements

• PhD in a biological science

Responsibilities

• Identify neural circuits controlling motivated behaviors, primarily drug seeking.
• Understand how neural circuits change with increased drug intake and how these changes affect drug-associated cues triggering relapse.
• Investigate circuits controlling the inhibition of learned behaviors and the active suppression of motivational impulses.
• Utilize optogenetic and chemogenetic viral strategies to manipulate neuronal activity.
• Record neuronal population activity using fiber photometry with calcium sensors in vivo during behavioral tasks.
• Visualize and image manipulated neurons using immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy.
• Perform neuroanatomical tracing and Fos expression analyses.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree