About Me
I am an assistant professor in the Department of Translational Neuroscience at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
Stress and negative emotional states are often cited as major factors in initiating a substance use disorder. These same feelings can drive cravings and relapse in recovering individuals, highlighting the gripping relationship between addiction and negative affect.
My research goal is to uncover the underlying brain circuits driving individual vulnerability to affective disorders and relapse in substance use disorders. By defining the unique brain circuit activity patterns driving negative emotional behavior, we can better predict, diagnose and treat affect and substance use disorders. Our research uses sophisticated in vivo circuit manipulation strategies and whole-brain microscopy to characterize the stress-sensitive insular cortex network hub.
I received my doctorate at the Medical University of South Carolina and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Vanderbilt University.