UMMC Graduate Program in Neuroscience

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. James Rowlett on receiving a new UG3/UH3 grant from the NIH/NIDA!

The project, “Development of a Novel Treatment for Benzodiazepine Addiction,” aims to advance the development of a promising new treatment for benzodiazepine addiction and physical dependence.

Benzodiazepines, including Va**um (diazepam) and related medications, are widely prescribed to treat anxiety disorders, among the most common psychiatric conditions in the United States. Despite their therapeutic benefits, benzodiazepines can also lead to addiction and physical dependence, and there are currently no FDA-approved pharmacotherapies specifically for treating benzodiazepine addiction or dependence.

The overall goal of this project is to evaluate a novel lead compound for its efficacy, safety, drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics, and toxicology, advancing its development toward future first-in-human studies.

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Laís Berro, who will serve as the Subaward PI on a new NIH/NIAAA R01 grant, in collaboration with PI Dr. Sterling McPherson and his team at Washington State University!

The project, titled “Daridorexant for the Treatment of Sleep Impairment Amongst Those With an Alcohol Use Disorder Using the Addictions Neuroclinical Assessment Framework,” will investigate the potential of the dual orexin receptor antagonist (DORA) daridorexant as a treatment approach for sleep impairment and alcohol use disorder.

The study will conduct a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial to evaluate whether daridorexant can significantly improve sleep and reduce alcohol use among treatment-seeking adults with alcohol use disorder. 🧠💊

🧠✨ Happy Postdoc Appreciation Week! ✨🧠

This week, we are celebrating the incredible postdoctoral scholars who contribute so much to our research, mentorship, and neuroscience community.

Postdocs are essential members of our labs and research teams, driving discoveries, mentoring students, developing new skills, and helping advance our understanding of the brain and nervous system. We are grateful for the creativity, dedication, and expertise they bring to PIN every day! 💙

Please join us in celebrating and thanking our amazing postdoctoral scholars during National Postdoc Appreciation Week! 🎉

🚨 New Publication Alert! 📝

Check out the new first-author publication from PIN MD/PhD student, Garner Fincher!
In this study, researchers evaluated 21 cartilage specimens from 9 donors to examine the effects of cut orientation, harvest location, and irradiation on biochemical composition, mechanical properties, and graft warping. The findings showed that collagen and sulfated glycosaminoglycan content, as well as mechanical properties, were generally similar across cartilage locations and irradiation status. Most grafts stabilized their shape within 45 minutes, and early warping at 15 minutes was the strongest predictor of final graft geometry. Importantly, donor-level variability appeared to have a greater influence than cut orientation, harvest location, or irradiation status, highlighting the importance of individual donor characteristics when considering the properties and predictability of fresh frozen costal cartilage allografts for rhinoplasty.

🔗 Read the article in full: https://doi.org/10.1177/26893614261468226

🚨 New Publication Alert! 📝

Check out the publication from PIN faculty, Drs. Matthias Krenn and Dobrivoje Stokic, and PIN alumna, Dr. Elizabeth Gordineer!

This new study examines how different electrical stimulation settings affect spinal reflexes involved in movement. The findings show that while response size remains consistent across a wide range of pulse durations, shorter pulses require stronger stimulation.

These results provide valuable insights for optimizing spinal stimulation techniques and improving our understanding of how the nervous system responds to electrical stimulation. 🧠⚡

🔗 Read the article in full: https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.00147.2026

🎉 Student Kudos Alert! 🎉

Congratulations to our PIN student, Savanna Julian, on being appointed as a UMMC Associated Student Body (ASB) Senator for 2026-2027! 👏

In this role, Savanna will work to strengthen the connection between UMMC’s graduate programs and the broader university community, with the goal of increasing graduate student involvement in UMMC-wide activities, initiatives, and opportunities.

We are proud to see PIN students taking on leadership roles that help strengthen our graduate community across campus! 🧠💙

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Javier “Jose” Miguel-Hidalgo for receiving a new R21 Grant from NIH/NIAAA to investigate “Node of Ranvier Environment in Alcohol Abuse”.

In this grant, Dr. Miguel-Hidalgo proposes that a mechanism based on the interaction between astrocytes and the nodes of Ranvier of myelinated axons contributes to disturbances in neural connections between brain centers and thus to excessive alcohol consumption. Knowledge of those mechanisms could be leveraged to design innovative treatments for alcohol use disorders.👏🔬

🎓 New F30 Fellowship ✨

🎉 Please join us in congratulating MD/PhD PIN student, Garner Fincher, on receiving a new NIH F30 Individual Predoctoral MD/PhD Fellowship from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)! 👏

This competitive award will support his research investigating how RNA editing by ADARB1 regulates the development and function of auditory neurons in the inner ear. Using transgenic mouse models, they will define how disruption of this process affects hearing. These studies will advance understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying auditory function and may identify new therapeutic targets for hearing loss and related disorders.

We are so proud to celebrate this milestone in Garner’s journey! 💡🧠

🧠 Passionate about understanding how the brain works? Ready to launch your research career?

Applications are now open for our UMMC Graduate Program in Neuroscience! Join a dynamic and collaborative environment where students work at the forefront of neuroscience—from molecules to behavior. 🧬🧠✨

📅 Application deadline: December 15! Apply now using the link below:
🔗 https://wd5-student.myworkdaysite.com/ummc/ummc_student

The Program in Neuroscience (PIN) congratulates Dr. Patrick Davis, MD - PhD student in the lab of PIN Faculty, Drs. Lais Berro and James Rowlett -, on being awarded an NIH/NIDA R36 Dissertation Award for his project, “Relationship Between Daytime Sleepiness and Methamphetamine Taking”! 🎉

✨ Patrick is the first student in the UMMC Biomedical Sciences – Neurobehavioral Sciences Track PhD Program, our integrated program that extends traditional Psychiatry residency by two years to allow participants to earn a PhD during residency training. While not a part of PIN, students in this PhD program take several PIN courses as part of their graduate training!

👏 Congratulations, Patrick, on this well-deserved and prestigious award!