Previous Trainees
Postdoctoral Fellows
Lillian J. Brady, Ph.D.
Current: Assistant Professor at University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine
Publications:
Nolan SO, Zachry JE, Johnson AR, Brady LJ, Siciliano CA, Calipari ES (2019) Direct dopamine terminal regulation by local striatal microcircuitry. Journal of Neurochemistry. 155: 475– 493
Munir gunes Kutlu, Ph.D.
Current: Assistant Professor at Rowan-Virtua School of Medicine
Publications:
Zachry JE, Kutlu MG, Yoon HJ, Leonard MZ, Chevee M, Patel DD, Gaidici A, Kondev V, Thibeault KC, Bethi R, Tat JT, Melugin PR, Isiktas AU, Joffe ME, Cai DJ, Conn PJ, Grueter BA, Calipari ES (2023) Accumbal D1 and D2 medium spiny neurons have distinct and valence-independent roles in learning. Neuron. In Press.
Kutlu MG, Zachry J Melugin PR, Cajigas SA, Chevee MF, Kelly SJ, Kutlu B, Tian L, Siciliano CA, Calipari ES (2021) Dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens core signals perceived saliency. Current Biology. 31: 4748–4761
Johnson AR, Thibeault KC, Lopez AJ, Peck EG, Sands LP, Sanders CM, Kutlu MG, Calipari ES (2019) Cues play a critical role in estrous cycle-dependent enhancement of cocaine reinforcement. Neuropsychopharmacology. 44, 1189–1197
amy johnson, PH.D.
Current: Scientist at Voyager Therapeutics
Publications:
Johnson AR, Christensen BA, Kelly SJ, Calipari ES (2022) The influence of reinforcement schedule on experience-dependent changes in motivation. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. 54: 339–341
Nolan SO, Zachry JE, Johnson AR, Brady LJ, Siciliano CA, Calipari ES (2019) Direct dopamine terminal regulation by local striatal microcircuitry. Journal of Neurochemistry. 155: 475– 493
Johnson AR, Thibeault KC, Lopez AJ, Peck EG, Sands LP, Sanders CM, Kutlu MG, Calipari ES (2019) Cues play a critical role in estrous cycle-dependent enhancement of cocaine reinforcement. Neuropsychopharmacology. 44, 1189–1197
Zachry JE, Johnson AR, Calipari ES (2019) Sex differences in value-based decision making underlie substance use disorders in females. Alcohol and Alcoholism. 117: 320-330
Alberto lopez, PH.D.
Current: Scientist II at Capsida Biotherapeutics, Inc.
Publications:
Lopez AJ, Siciliano CA, Calipari ES (2019) Activity-Dependent Epigenetic Remodeling in Cocaine Use Disorder. In: Nader M, hurd Y. (eds) Substance Use Disorders. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, vol 258. Springer, Cham.
Johnson AR, Thibeault KC, Lopez AJ, Peck EG, Sands LP, Sanders CM, Kutlu MG, Calipari ES (2019) Cues play a critical role in estrous cycle-dependent enhancement of cocaine reinforcement. Neuropsychopharmacology. 44, 1189–1197
Suzanne Nolan, Ph.D.
Current: Postdoctoral Fellow in the Siciliano Lab
Publications:
Nolan SO, Zachry JE, Johnson AR, Brady lJ, Siciliano CA, Calipari ES (2019) Direct dopamine terminal regulation by local striatal microcircuitry. Journal of Neurochemistry. 155: 475– 493
Graduate Students
Kimberly Thibeault, Ph.D.
Current: Postdoctoral Fellow
Publications:
Thibeault KC, Leonard MZ, Kondev V, Bethi R, Lopez AJ, Sens JP, Emerson SD, Nabit BP, Elam HB Winder DG, Patel S, Kiraly DD, Grueter BG, Calipari ES (2024) A cocaine-activated ensemble exerts increased control over behavior while decreasing in size. Biological Psychiatry. In press.
Zachry JE, Kutlu MG, Yoon HJ, Leonard MZ, Chevee M, Patel DD, Gaidici A, Kondev V, Thibeault KC, Bethi R, Tat JT, Melugin PR, Isiktas AU, Joffe ME, Cai DJ, Conn PJ, Grueter BA, Calipari ES (2024) Accumbal D1 and D2 medium spiny neurons have distinct and valence-independent roles in learning. Neuron. In Press. Zachry JE, Kutlu MG, Yoon HJ, Leonard MZ, Chevee M, Patel DD, Gaidici A, Kondev V, Thibeault KC, Bethi R, Tat JT, Melugin PR, Isiktas AU, Joffe ME, Cai DJ, Conn PJ, Grueter BA, Calipari ES (2023) Accumbal D1 and D2 medium spiny neurons have distinct and valence-independent roles in learning. Neuron. In Press.
Kutlu MG, Zachry JE, Melugin P, Kutlu B, Cajigas SA, Thibeault KC, Tian L, Siciliano CA, Calipari ES. (2021) Dopamine in the nucleus accumbens core signals perceived saliency. Current Biology. 31(21), 4748-4761.e8
López AJ, Johnson AR, Euston TJ, Wilson R, Nolan SO, Brady LJ, Thibeault KC, Kelly SJ, Kondev V, Melugin P, Chuang E, Lam TT, Kiraly DD, Calipari ES (2021) Cocaine self-administration induces sex-dependent protein expression in the nucleus accumbens. Communications Biology. 4, 883.
Vaillancourt K, Yang J, Chen GG, Yerko V, Théroux JF, Aouabed Z, Lopez AJ, Thibeault KC, Calipari ES, Labonte B, Mechawar N, Ernst C, Nagy C, Forne T, Nestler EJ, Mash D, Turecki G. (2020) Cocaine-related DNA methylation in caudate neurons alters 3D chromatin structure of the IRXA gene cluster. Molecular Psychiatry. 26, 3134–3151.
Lopez AJ, Johnson AR, Kunnath AJ, Zachry JE, Thibeault KC, Kutlu MG, Siciliano CA, Calipari ES (2020) An optimized procedure for robust volitional drug intake in mice. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology. 29(4):319-333.
Kutlu MG#, Zachry JE#, Brady LJ, Melugin P, Sanders C, Tat J, Johnson AR, Thibeault KC, Lopez AJ, Siciliano CA, Calipari ES (2020) A novel multidimensional reinforcement task in mice elucidates sex-specific behavioral strategies. Neuropsychopharmacology. 45(9):1463-1472.
Johnson AR, Thibeault KC, Lopez AJ, Peck EG, Sands LP, Kutlu MG, Calipari ES (2019) Cues play a critical role in estrous-cycle dependent enhancement of cocaine reinforcement. Neuropsychopharmacology. 44(7):1189-1197.
Thibeault KC, Kutlu MG, Sanders CM, Calipari ES (2018) Cell-type and projection-specific dopaminergic encoding of aversive stimuli in addiction. Brain Research. 1713:1-15.
Jennifer Zachry, Ph.D.
Current: Co-Founder & Director of Business Development, Orion Therapeutics
Publications:
Zachry JE, Kutlu MG, Yoon HJ, Leonard MZ, Chevee M, Patel DD, Gaidici A, Kondev V, Thibeault KC, Bethi R, Tat JT, Melugin PR, Isiktas AU, Joffe ME, Cai DJ, Conn PJ, Grueter BA, Calipari ES (2023) Accumbal D1 and D2 medium spiny neurons have distinct and valence-independent roles in learning. Neuron. In Press.
Kutlu MG, Tat J, Christensen BA, Zachry JE, Calipari ES (2023) Dopamine release at the time of a predicted aversive outcome causally controls the trajectory and expression of conditioned behavior. Cell Reports. In Press.
Kutlu MG#, Zachry JE#, Melugin PR#, Cajigas S, Isiktas A, Siciliano CA, Schoenbaum G, Sharpe MJ, Calipari ES (2022). Dopamine signaling in the nucleus accumbens core mediates latent inhibition. Nature Neuroscience. In press.
Kutlu MG, Zachry JE, Melugin P, Kutlu B, Cajigas SA, Thibeault KC, Tian L, Siciliano CA, Calipari ES. (2021) Dopamine in the nucleus accumbens core signals perceived saliency. Current Biology. 31(21), 4748-4761.e8
Lopez AJ, Johnson AR, Kunnath AJ, Zachry JE, Thibeault KC, Kutlu MG, Siciliano CA, Calipari ES (2020) An optimized procedure for robust volitional drug intake in mice. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology. 29(4):319-333.
Kutlu MG#, Zachry JE#, Brady LJ, Melugin P, Sanders C, Tat J, Johnson AR, Thibeault KC, Lopez AJ, Siciliano CA, Calipari ES (2020) A novel multidimensional reinforcement task in mice elucidates sex-specific behavioral strategies. Neuropsychopharmacology. 45(9):1463-1472.
#denotes equal contribution
Undergraduate Researchers and Technicians
Courtney Kim
Current: Graduate Student, University of California, Berkely
Publications:
Chevée M, Kim C, Crow JN, Follman EG, Calipari ES (2023) Sensitivity to outcome devaluation in operant tasks is better predicted by food restriction level than reinforcement training schedule in mice. eNeuro. In Press.
Follman E, Chevee M, Kim C, Johnson AR, Tat J, Calipari ES (2022) Task parameters influence operant response variability in mice. Psychopharmacology. In Press.
Dev Patel
Current: Medical Student, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Publications:
Zachry JE, Kutlu MG, Yoon HJ, Leonard MZ, Chevee M, Patel DD, Gaidici A, Kondev V, Thibeault KC, Bethi R, Tat JT, Melugin PR, Isiktas AU, Joffe ME, Cai DJ, Conn PJ, Grueter BA, Calipari ES (2023) Accumbal D1 and D2 medium spiny neurons have distinct and valence-independent roles in learning. Neuron. In Press.
Grace Bailey
Current: Graduate Student, University of Sydney
Jennifer Tat
Current: Medical Student at University of Tennessee
Publications:
Zachry JE, Kutlu MG, Yoon HJ, Leonard MZ, Chevee M, Patel DD, Gaidici A, Kondev V, Thibeault KC, Bethi R, Tat JT, Melugin PR, Isiktas AU, Joffe ME, Cai DJ, Conn PJ, Grueter BA, Calipari ES (2023) Accumbal D1 and D2 medium spiny neurons have distinct and valence-independent roles in learning. Neuron. In Press.
Kutlu MG, Tat J, Christensen BA, Zachry JE, Calipari ES (2023) Dopamine release at the time of a predicted aversive outcome causally controls the trajectory and expression of conditioned behavior. Cell Reports. In Press.
Bryson Rorie
Current: Post-Baccalaureate Research Program Scholar at University of California, Berkeley
emma follman
Current: Neuroscience Graduate Student at Stanford University School of Medicine
Publications:
Chevée M, Kim C, Crow JN, Follman EG, Calipari ES (2023) Sensitivity to outcome devaluation in operant tasks is better predicted by food restriction level than reinforcement training schedule in mice. eNeuro. In Press.
Follman E, Chevee M, Kim C, Johnson AR, Tat J, Calipari ES (2022) Task parameters influence operant response variability in mice. Psychopharmacology. In Press.
Allison morris (allie)
Current: Medical Student at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Publications:
Shannon kelly
Publications:
Christina Sanders
Current: Postbac at NIH
Publications:
Johnson AR, Thibeault KC, Lopez AJ, Peck EG, Sands LP, Sanders CM, Kutlu MG, Calipari ES (2019) Cues play a critical role in estrous cycle-dependent enhancement of cocaine reinforcement. Neuropsychopharmacology. 44, 1189–1197.
Thibeault KC, Kutlu MG, Sanders CA, Calipari ES (2018) Cell-type and projection-specific dopaminergic encoding of aversive stimuli in addiction. Brain Research. 1713:1-15.
Kristina Kitko, ph.d.
Current: Postdoctoral Fellow at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Emily Grace Peck (Gracie)
Current: Graduate Student at Wake Forest School of Medicine
Publications:
Johnson AR, Thibeault KC, Lopez AJ, Peck EG, Sands LP, Sanders CM, Kutlu MG, Calipari ES (2019) Cues play a critical role in estrous cycle-dependent enhancement of cocaine reinforcement. Neuropsychopharmacology. 44, 1189–1197.
Stephen Pirpinias
Current: Technician at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (Nestler Lab)
Publications:
Lester Paul Sands
Current: Graduate Student at Wake Forest School of Medicine
Publications:
Arthur Godino
Current: Graduate Student at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Publications: