Undergraduate research with Dr. Olivier George
September 2022 - June 2023
Lab website: George Lab
Shankar K, Bonnet-Zahedi S, Milan K, D’Argence AR, Sneddon E, Qiao R, Chonwattangul S, Carrette LLG, George O (2024). Acute nicotine activates orectic and inhibits anorectic brain regions in rats exposed to chronic nicotine. Neuropharmacology, 253, 109959. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.109959
Questions we aim to answer
- What are the biological mechanisms underlying the transition to drug addiction?
- Can we genetically identify the basis of vulnerability to compulsive cocaine or oxycodone abuse?
- What are the effects of chronic nicotine use on the central metabolic system and appetite regulation?
What I did
- Conducted self-administration experiments in rats for our genome-wide association studies
- Characterized cocaine or oxycodone addiction-like behaviors in heterogeneous stock rats
- Analyzed FOS immunihistochemistry activation in multiple rat brain regions
- Performed a statistical analysis of the timecourse of compulsive drug seeking behavior
Skills I developed
- Routine handling of laboratory rodents, collection of diagnostic samples, tail marking, record keeping, weekly weighting and behavioral assays
- IP injections
- Use of ImageJ for identification of neuronal activation
- Statistical analysis using the programming language R
Defining moments
- Since I was unfamiliar with working at a wet lab prior to this experience, our addiction studies gave me the background necessary to feel confident handling animals in different states of arousal and stress
- My first time presenting at a research conference I felt excited, but also intimidated, I was only a sophmore and I felt like most of the people around me were far more experienced. Additionally, since English is not my first language, I was concerned my public wouldn’t understand what I was saying, yet the support of my peers and mentors helped me overcome my doubts and present my research successfully
