We’re thrilled to announce the lab is supported by a 5 year R01 grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to investigate the circuits and motivational functions of VTA neurons defined by multiple genetic characteristics
Dave is named the Conan Kornetsky Fellow!
Thank you to the Winter Conference on Brain Research for selecting me as the inaugural Conan Kornetsky Fellow! Check out our work at the conference —>
At the Conan Kornetsky Memorial panel I’ll be talking about electrophysiological and neurochemical mechanisms underlying VTA glutamate neurons in motivated behavior. I will also chair two panels. The first on detection and manipulation of neurotransmitter systems, graduate student Dillon McGovern will present his work on neurochemical signaling of reward and aversion in VTA glutamate neurons. Also check out exciting talks from Jason Dong (5-HT imaging), Jonathan Marvin (glutamate, GABA, acetycholine, ATP imaging), and Michael Tadross (cell-type specific pharmacology, DART). The second panel is on the functions and circuits of neurons defined by multiple genetic features. I will present work on the functions of subtypes of VTA glutamate and GABA neurons, Patricia Jensen will present her work on subtypes of noradrenergic neurons and anxiety, Lief Fenno will present his work on developing INTRSECT2.0 a viral framework to manipulate neurons based on multiple genetic characteristics, and Susana Mingote will present her research on subtypes of VTA glutamate and dopamine neurons.
Dillon McGovern selected for local Society for Neuroscience Oral Presentation, Featured on Cover!
This is becoming a pattern…Check out Dillon’s work on Neurochemical signaling of motivation by ventral tegmental area glutamate neurons at the Front Range Neuroscience Group on 12/11 —> Also his work was featured on the cover for the meeting!!
Root lab at SfN2019
Come check out our work at SfN 2019!
Sunday at 10AM Dillon McGovern will present his work using multiple neurotransmitter sensors to determine the neurochemical signaling patterns that underlie VTA glutamate neuron involvement in reward and aversion
Sunday afternoon I'll present a poster on the targeting and signaling patterns of genetically distinct subtypes of VTA glutamate and GABA neurons during conditioned reward and aversion
Monday afternoon Alysabeth Phillips will present her research on oral prescription opioid-seeking behavior in male and female mice
Paul Rastrelli wins Boettcher Collaboration Grant!
Congratulations to Paul Rastrelli on his Boettcher Collaboration Award to study the neurochemical and cell-type specific basis of prescription opioid addiction! Boettcher Scholars interested in working with us may also apply for this award - click here for more information
Ventral pallidum: a promising target for addiction intervention
Congratulations to Dillon on the publication of his Research Highlight! See it here
Oral prescription opioid-seeking behavior in male and female mice
Congratulations to all authors, our prior pre-print is now published in Addiction Biology. Check out the paper here
Root lab is awarded the NARSAD Young Investigator Grant
We are pleased to annouce that the lab was awarded a grant to study the cell-type specific neurobiology of stress.
Interested in working on this project? We are hiring a professional research assistant to complete it, please get in touch
Thank you to the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, we are grateful for your support!
Dillon McGovern selected for SfN Nanosymposium
Check it out 10/20 between 8 and 12 in S104 for the Transmitter Co-Expression and Plasticity: From Health to Disease Session. Dillon will present his research on Neurochemical signaling of motivation by ventral tegmental area glutamate neurons
Root lab is awarded CCTSI CNS-Pilot Basic Research Award!
The lab was awarded the Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute CNS-Pilot award to study the ventral tegmental area cellular mechanisms of palatable food intake in obese and normal individuals
Thank you to the CCTSI - we are grateful for your support!
