I employ whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiological methods to record electrical signals from neurons in acute slice and cultured preparations. A combination of voltage-clamp and current-clamp recordings allow me to probe the intrinsic properties of different cell types and evaluate synaptic transmission & plasticity.

My research makes heavy use of fluorescent imaging to study individual neurons and the proteins inside of them. Using immuno-fluorescent techniques, I am able to label and observe the location and density of synaptic proteins. I use fluorescent viruses and retrograde tracers to conduct anatomical experiments that evaluate connectivity between brain regions.

I use SDS PAGE and Western blotting techniques to assess the density and post-translational modifications of neuronal proteins. This allows me to evaluate the impact of administration of drugs of abuse and other behavioral interventions by comparing brain tissue collected from different groups of animals.

I use a number of behavioral paradigms in mice and rats to evaluate learning & memory and responses to drugs of abuse such as alcohol and cocaine. Using operant conditioning, conditioned place preference tasks, and locomotor assays, I can assess drug-seeking behaviors and determine the behavioral consequences of drug use.