We have finally begun to see the fruits of our hard work over the last 2.9 years here at UCI. Here are several new papers, congrats to all the authors!! Jessica Bolton & Christina Ruiz et al show effects of early life adversity on cocaine seeking Mitch Farrell et al review how we model cocaine Read More…

Blomeley, Garau, and Burdakov describe a new role for orexin recruitment of nucleus accumbens D2 dopamine neurons in avoiding risk. I had something to say about this cool paper!

Check it out

The Mahler Lab’s first research paper is out!! We are currently following up on this project by determining how adolescent cannabinoid receptor stimulation with drugs including THC affects development of brain reward circuits.

Are you an undergraduate from an underrepresented background that is interested in learning more about neural circuits underlying effects of cocaine or cannabis?  If so, apply for a prestigious, completely funded internship in Southern California for summer 2017! NIDA Summer Research Internship Program

Check them out! (Another) review on orexin: James, MH, Mahler, SV, Moorman, DE, & Aston-Jones, G. (in press). A decade of orexin/hypocretin in addiction: Where are we now? Current Topics in Behavioral Neuroscience. A role for dopamine in prefrontal-accumbens pathway mediation of cocaine relapse: McGlinchy, EM, James, MH, Mahler, SV, Pantazis, C & Aston-Jones (2016). Read More…

Check out our new paper on how to use DREADDs for behavioral neuroscience experiments, spearheaded by Berridge Lab alum Kyle Smith, and colleagues at Dartmouth Smith et al Behav Neurosci 2016 DREADD review

The Mahler Lab is growing, and we are looking for a new key member–a full time technician. Ideal candidates will have experience with rodent (preferably rat) behavioral testing, stereotaxic or other rodent surgery, systemic and/or intracranial injections, immunohistochemistry, microscopy, and general lab skills. Candidates must be organized and ambitious.  Attaining authorship on major papers is Read More…

The Mahler Lab is missing an important person–You! We are looking for 1-2 graduate students in 2016.  Interested parties can apply to the Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program at UCI.  In addition to soaking in the lovely Southern California Climate on UCI’s beautiful campus, you will take classes and rotate in 2-3 labs during your first year. Read More…

          The Mahler lab has come to life!             We are rocking 16 shiny operant boxes and numerous other behavioral apparatuses, immnohistochemistry, and fluorescent/brightfield microscopy setups.     We are just getting down to science, and we have lots to do–viral vectors to validate, tissue to Read More…