POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

Behavior/Neuroethology/Drug Addiction

A fellowship is available immediately to study mechanisms of drug-sensitive reward in crayfish

Models of addiction have been essential for uncovering the neurobiological factors associated with drug-seeking behavior. In addition to the use of typical mammalian models, development of simplified systems for the study of addiction may contribute significant new experimental opportunities for an analysis of widely conserved underlying neural processes. In recent work, we have demonstrated that drugs of abuse are associated with rewarding properties for place-conditioning in crayfish (see Panksepp JB & R Huber (2004) Ethological analyses of crayfish behavior: A new invertebrate system for measuring the rewarding properties of psycho-stimulants. Behav. Brain Res. 153: 171-180 - pdf). The experimental advantages of crayfish include a relatively simple and accessible CNS organization, and sets of conspicuous, stereotyped behavior patterns amenable to effective quantitative analysis. With multiple levels of organization readily accessible, a detailed characterization of this intriguing behavioral phenomenon in a species not particularly known for its cognitive abilities, will provide a unique, comparative ethological perspective on the neural substrates responsive to drugs of abuse, the nature of reward mechanisms, drug-seeking, and motivated behaviors in general.

This Post-Doctoral position will be based in the J.P. Scott Center for Neuroscience, Mind & Behavior at Bowling Green State University and is funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse. The postdoc will work with Dr. Robert Huber and Dr. Jaak Panksepp. The two labs cover a wide range of techniques with opportunities to train in behavioral, pharmacological, biochemical and molecular approaches.

A strong background in quantitative and experimental biology would be particularly advantageous, however, more important to us than specific skills are curiosity, enthusiasm and creativity

Contact: Dr. Robert Huber, Dept Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403; Tel: 419-372-7492; Fax: 419-372-2024; Email: lobsterman.bgsu@gmail.com

More information about the Huber Lab: http://caspar.bgsu.edu/~neuro/Faculty/rhuber/

and the Panksepp Lab: http://caspar.bgsu.edu/~neuro/Faculty/Faculty_jpanksepp.shtml

BGSU is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Members of underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.