My major research interest is the neurobiological regulation of reward-related memory systems in the brain and the role of these systems in drug addiction. My laboratory approaches this broad topic at diverse levels of analysis that integrate molecular, genetic, and epigenetic tools with techniques that probe the function of single neurons and entire neuronal circuits. My ultimate goal is to understand epigenetic regulation in normal and disease states, and to use tools that manipulate the epigenome to treat addiction-related diseases. My lab has broad experience with reward circuitry, transcriptional and epigenetic analyses, whole-genome sequencing, and CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing tools to understand the role of specific genes and epigenetic modifications at these genes in neuronal function and behavior.
