{"id":43,"date":"2013-10-28T09:13:13","date_gmt":"2013-10-28T14:13:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/cir\/?page_id=43"},"modified":"2013-10-28T09:18:38","modified_gmt":"2013-10-28T14:18:38","slug":"projects07-08","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/cir\/projects07-08\/","title":{"rendered":"Projects for 2007-08"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alcohol Place Conditioning Studies in Mice<\/h2>\n

<\/b>Description:\u00a0<\/strong>Most theories of drug abuse and addiction are predicated in part on the assumption that most humans use, abuse, and subsequently become addicted to alcohol and other drugs because of the reinforcing and rewarding effects these substances produce (e.g., euphoria, relief from negative feelings). My primary research interest is the understanding of the neuropharmacological mechanisms underlying the effects of drugs of abuse, in other words, what\u2019s happening in the brain while these drugs are on board. An ongoing project in the lab is looking at the role of dopamine systems in the conditioned effects of alcohol in mice. I\u2019m also starting work on a new project looking at whether adolescent mice are affected differently by alcohol than adults are, and at the effect of alcohol exposure during adolescence on drug-seeking as adults (also using mice).<\/p>\n

Why should we look at drunk mice? Well, the processes of conditioning (association of environmental cues and drug effects) are thought to be extremely important in craving and relapse in humans, and while alcohol is used by a large proportion of people in our society, the neural effects of alcohol are quite complex and not fully understood.<\/p>\n

Finally, over the next couple of years I\u2019ll be setting up electrochemistry equipment to assess genetically determined differences and drug-induced changes in brain neurochemistry in mice and rats. This will be particularly exciting in conjunction with the adolescent work, since we will be able to actually measure how various proteins work at different times during brain development.<\/p>\n

Faculty:<\/b>\u00a0Shelly Dickinson, Psychology<\/p>\n

Helpful background:<\/b>\u00a0Bio psych and\/or Conditioning and Learning (that would be 238 and\/or 236) would be very useful.<\/p>\n

Linguistics: Northern City Vowel Shift in Hmong Americans<\/h2>\n

Description: —<\/strong><\/p>\n

Faculty:<\/b>\u00a0Rika Ito, Linguistics<\/p>\n

Prairie reconstruction: Germination & Growth of Plant Species in Different Soils<\/h2>\n

Description: —<\/strong><\/p>\n

Faculty:<\/b>\u00a0Dianne Angell, Biology<\/p>\n

U.S. Farm Subsidies and Developing Countries<\/h2>\n

Description:\u00a0<\/strong>This project will continue and expand on research done to examine the effect of U.S rice subsidies on the Costa Rican rice market from 1990 to present. It is not necessary to have previous experience to join in on this project during the coming academic year.<\/p>\n

Faculty:<\/b>\u00a0Beckie Judge, Economics<\/p>\n

Faculty:<\/b>\u00a0Tony Becker and Beckie Judge, Economics<\/p>\n

Helpful background:<\/b>\u00a0Macro and Microeconomics<\/p>\n

Migrant Health in Southeast Iowa<\/h2>\n

Description: —<\/strong><\/p>\n

Faculty:<\/b>\u00a0Julie Legler, Statistics<\/p>\n

Statistics as a tool to further Tuberculosis Genome Research<\/h2>\n

Description:\u00a0<\/strong>TB latently infects 1\/3 of humanity, killing millions annually, especially in combination with HIV. The sequence of TB genome offers us the best opportunity in decades to understand and combat this ancient disease. St. Olaf currently runs the largest database in the world showing how TB uses its genes in real time to respond to its environment. This database is a fertile field for statistical discovery and analysis. I’d be delighted to speak with any statistics concentrators who might be interested in learning more about the types of projects available.<\/p>\n

Faculty:<\/b>\u00a0Rob Rutherford, Biology<\/p>\n

Helpful background:<\/b>\u00a0Statistics 212, interests in biology and\/or computer science would all be helpful, but are not required.<\/p>\n

WHO: Foodborne Disease<\/h2>\n

Description:\u00a0<\/strong>A project building on work completed during the 2007 Biostatistics Interim, we will look at estimating the global burden using data from various countries.<\/p>\n

Faculty:<\/b>\u00a0Julie Legler<\/p>\n

Helpful background:<\/b>\u00a0Familiarity with multivariate analysis methods<\/p>\n

Investigative Neuroscience in the National Psychology Curriculum<\/h2>\n

Description:\u00a0—<\/strong><\/p>\n

Faculty:<\/b>\u00a0Howard Thorsheim<\/p>\n

Helpful background:<\/b>\u00a0Neuroscience<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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