May 28th, 2021: Back in action! Due to COVID-19, this is our first night out in > 1 year, 5 months. We made it through the pandemic together! We had a fully vaccinated, masks-off BBQ at Jim’s house to celebrate some hard-earned wins from the past year plus.
1) Preston Siegler was recruited to PhD programs around the country, and left the following day to begin her graduate studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
2) Kelsey Vollmer received an F31 NRSA, aimed to study thalamic mechanisms of opioid addiction.
3) Dr. Beth Doncheck received a SCORE grant, aimed to study sex differences in opioid addiction.
4) The Otis Lab received its first R01, from NIDA. Title: “The influence of noradrenergic circuitry on prefrontal neuronal ensemble dynamics and cue-induced heroin seeking”.
5) The Otis Lab received a pilot award from the MUSC Cocaine and Opioid Center on Addiction (COCA; program led by Dr. Peter Kalivas, core run by Dr. Jakie McGinty).
6) The Otis Lab received a pilot award from the MUSC Alcohol Research Center (ARC; program led by Dr. Howard Becker).
7) The Otis Lab received the College of Medicine Enhancement of Team Science (COMETS) award, in collaboration with Dr. Michael Scofield’s Laboratory.