Research Asst III

Conduct in vivo operant self-administration studies in rats to assess effects of glutamate release inhibitors and transport activators on methamphetamine (METH) self-administration. Conduct surgeries to implant catheters into the jugular vein of rats and conduct behavioral experiments to assess effects on METH intake, reinforcing strength, extinction, and relapse-like behaviors.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree degree emphasis on neuroscience, biology, and clinical psychology
• Directly related experience
• Experience with drug abuse liability assessments and surgical procedures
• Experience with the behavioral assays including locomotor, self-administration, conditioned place preference, forced swim assay, elevated plus maze assay
• Experience with cellular techniques especially qPCR to test mRNA levels of different neurochemical markers in the glutamate and cytokine systems
• Analyzing rat self-administration data using Microsoft Excel and GraphPad Prism
• Interpreting rat self-administration results involving the effects of glutamatergic drugs on METH self-administration behaviors
• Preparing manuscripts for publication including writing up Methods and Results sections for manuscripts

Benefits

• Full medical, dental, vision coverage
• Paid time off
• 9 Federally Observed Paid Holidays
• 3 Personal Days
• Tuition remission
• Generous retirement plan