Research Interests:

Our lab is interested in how internal state and drugs are encoded by defined neural circuits to shape physiology and behavior. We sit at the intersection of neuropsychopharmacology and behavioral neuroscience, specializing in rodent models to connect receptor- and cell-type–specific mechanisms within distributed networks of the brain to measurable changes in behavior, arousal, homeostasis and autonomic physiology. The unifying aim is translational: define causal mechanisms that can be leveraged to change maladaptive behaviors.

Overconsumption of nutrient dense food has fueled the current obesity epidemic, one of our greatest public health concerns. Analogs of the endogenous satiety signal glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) have had clinical success and amylin receptor agonists are being considered for obesity treatment. However, current pharmacological strategies are limited in their weight-loss potential and are burdened by compliance barriers attributed to side effects including nausea, vomiting and malaise. Increasing the therapeutic potential of obesity pharmacotherapies therefore requires maximizing both food-intake suppressive effects and drug tolerability. To this end, basic research is required to characterize the mechanism that underlie the physiological and behavioral responses to signals like GLP-1 and amylin that engage appetite circuits of the brain.

We pursue a molecules-to-behavior strategy by applying a broad range of innovative techniques in rodent models to:

[1.] Interrogate nuclei- and cell-type-specific receptor populations and circuits within the brain that control physiology and behavior

[2.] Explore novel drug targets for obesity pharmacotherapies

[3.] Correlate neural responses with physiological measurements and behavioral events in awake animals

[4.] Determine the cellular mechanisms behind complex ingestive behaviors and physiological regulation of energy balance control

The nature of Dr. Fortin’s systems-neuroscience research program reflects maximal opportunities for students to develop foundations in a variety of disciplines (e.g. cellular and molecular biology, pharmacology, genetics, peripheral and central anatomy and physiology, psychology). The diversity of the research also provides maximal opportunities for students to explore individual research interests, take ownership of new ideas and research endeavors and experience the intrinsic reward of scientific research.