Investigating sites of action for GLP-1, amylin, and other metabolic signals.
This research project investigates the central and peripheral mechanisms by which metabolic peptides such as GLP-1, amylin, and related satiety signals regulate food intake, nausea, and energy balance. These peptides act through distributed networks in the brain and periphery, yet the specific sites and cellular mechanisms underlying their physiological and behavioral effects remain incompletely defined.
We use a combination of behavioral pharmacology, chemogenetics, electrophysiology, and molecular profiling to identify and characterize the neuronal populations and receptor systems engaged by these signals. By mapping where and how GLP-1 receptors (GLP-1Rs) and amylin receptors mediate anorectic versus aversive effects, our work aims to disentangle the circuitry responsible for the therapeutic actions of clinically used agonists such as liraglutide and semaglutide while clarifying the mechanisms that contribute to their side effects.
Investigating how metabolic signals influence reward processing and cognitive function.
We want to explore how metabolic hormones and peptides, like GLP-1s, modulate reward processing, motivation, and cognition. Metabolic and reward systems are deeply interconnected. We wish to investigate the mechanisms through which peripheral signals influence brain circuits involved in decision-making, learning, and addiction.
Using behavioral assays such as conditioned place preference (CPP), food deprivation paradigms, and the five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT), we investigate how metabolic states and signaling pathways shape motivated behavior, attention, and cognitive flexibility. Complementary neurophysiological and molecular assays are used to identify the circuits and receptor systems that mediate these effects. We hope that by integrating behavioral, molecular, and systems-level analyses, we can uncover how metabolic signals dynamically interact with brain networks that regulate reward, attention, and cognitive control. This has further implications for understanding and treating obesity, addiction, and neurodegenerative disease.