Mentor Areas
Though millions of individuals are exposed to general anesthetics each year, the diverse molecular and neuronal mechanisms through which anesthetic drugs act to produce loss of consciousness are not fully understood. We are driven to understand this fundamental question at the heart of neuroscience: how do general anesthetic drugs, which vary drastically on a molecular level, all lead to the same endpoint of unconsciousness/hypnosis?
Description:
While sleep and anesthesia are two distinct states, there are similarities between the two that suggest they may involve common neuronal circuitry. Research from our lab has shown that while anesthetics generally inhibit neurons throughout the brain, they actually activate sleep-promoting neurons in the ventrolateral preoptic area (VLPO). However, the VLPO is not the only region of the brain where sleep-promoting neurons are found. The extent to which anesthetic-activation of sleep-promoting neurons is true of sleep-promoting neurons outside of the VLPO, as well as the degree of overlap between neurons that promote sleep and those activated by anesthetics remains unknown, however, and is currently being investigated by the lab.
The project the student would be working on, along with a graduate student in the lab, involves using genetic manipulations of neuronal activity, histological methods, behavioral assays, and various imaging techniques in mouse models to address the above questions with a focus on isoflurane anesthesia. The student would help with brain tissue processing, imaging/image analysis, and behavioral assays, with the potential to later perform stereotaxic surgeries.
Preferred Qualifications
Students must be comfortable working with mice, though no previous mouse experience is required. Looking for a student who ideally will have some summer availability in addition to during the academic year.
Project Website
Learn more about the researcher and/or the project here. Kelz Lab
Details:
Preferred Student Year
First-year, Second-Year, Junior, Senior
Academic Term
Fall, Spring, Summer
I prefer to have students start during the above term(s).Volunteer
No
Yes indicates that faculty are open to volunteers.Paid
Yes
Yes indicates that faculty are open to paying students they engage in their research, regardless of their work-study eligibility.Work Study
Yes
Yes indicates that faculty are open to hiring work-study-eligible students.