Dr. Szumlinski’s major research interest concerns the cellular mechanisms underlying the changes in brain and behaviour produced by chronic exposure to drugs of abuse, in particular psychomotor stimulants and alcohol. Current research focuses on the role of postsynaptic scaffolding proteins regulating extracellular glutamate and glutamate receptor function in drug-induced changes in brain and behaviour. Related research examines the role of postsynaptic scaffolding proteins in neuropsychiatric disorders associated with addiction, such as psychosis and depression. This research employs gene knock-out mice and adeno-associated viral vectors to examine the consequences of manipulating gene expression on the drug-induced behavioural and neurochemical phenotype of rodents. Other research concerns the regulation of forebrain glutamate transmission by ascending serotonin projections in rats and the interactions between these two neurotransmitter systems in the long-lasting behavioural consequences of chronic exposure to addictive substances. More recent research investigates the long-term behavioural and neurochemical consequences of childhood or adolescent exposure to over-the-counter stimulant drugs (e.g., ephedrine and norephedrine) on subsequent sensitivity to illicit stimulant drugs (e.g., cocaine and methamphetamine), as well as cognitive, emotional, motivational and sensorimotor processing in adulthood. The techniques employed in this laboratory include a variety of assays for undrugged and drug-induced changes in behaviour, in vivo microdialysis, Western blotting, and immunocytochemistry.

Current Funding:
(2005-2007) NARSAD Young Investigator’s Award “Homer proteins in animal models of psychosis”
The major goal of this project is to study characterize the role for Homer proteins in regulating cognitive, sensorimotor and motivational processing, using animal models of schizophrenia. 
 
(2006-2008) R21 AA015351 “Homer proteins, glutamate and alcoholism”
The major goals of this project are to determine an active role for Homer proteins and accumbens glutamate in mediating genetic variance in alcohol drinking between C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice.

(2006-2009) U01 AA016650 “mGluR-Homer interactions in excessive drinking”
The project employs the Scheduled High Alcohol Consumption model to elucidate the role for Group1 metabotropic glutamate receptor signaling through Homer proteins in mediating sustained, excessive alcohol consumption.

(2006-2007) UCSB Academic Senate Individual Faculty General Research Grant “Cellular consequences of exposure to phenylpropanolamine during development: implications for addiction”
The major goals of this project are to identify changes in the expression of monoamine and amino acid transporter proteins produced by pre-adolescent exposure to the sympathomimetic phenylpropanolamine.

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