Madigan B
- Research Program Mentor
PhD candidate at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill (UNC Chapel Hill)
Expertise
Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Addiction, Science Communication, GABA, Dopamine, Neuropharmacology, Substand Abuse, Substance Use Disorders, Opioids, Morphine, Neural Circuitry, Mechanisms Underlying Disease, Withdrawal Syndrome
Bio
I have been involved in biomedical research since 2014. I started during my undergraduate years at Vanderbilt University in a lab that investigated potential therapeutics for neuropsychiatric disorders. I focused my research on Huntington's Disease and Parkinson's disease. Following graduation, I worked at the University of Pennsylvania where I studied Alzheimer's Disease in post-mortem brains. I love studying how the brain responds to various disorders. I believe that by understanding the basic circuitry and mechanisms, we have a better chance at treating these disorders. Currently, I am working on my PhD in Pharmacology (the study of drugs and their actions on the body) at UNC-CH. I study the effects of opioid withdrawal on the brain using various techniques. Outside of the lab and academia, I enjoy exploring NC with my husband and my mini-goldendoodle, Nala. You can typically find me hiking or watching true crime documentaries when I am not running an experiment. I also enjoy mentoring other graduate students in the lab. I am very grateful for those who have invested time in getting me started in research, and hope to pay that forward to other budding scientists. I can't wait to talk with you about neuroscience, addiction, and/or pharmacology.Project ideas
Project ideas are meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.
Understanding the Impact of Withdrawal
The United States is facing an opioid epidemic that results in more than 130 deaths daily from overdose. In this project, students will learn about theories of addiction through scientific literature as well as popular media portrayals of the opioid crisis. Using this information, they will create a PSA flyer to increase awareness of the issues at hand.
Teaching experience
During my undergraduate years, I was a teaching assistant in a course on modern drug discovery for two years as well as training multiple students as they entered the lab I worked in over the years. I currently serve as a peer mentor in my graduate program's "First Year Group" for first-year graduate students. Additionally, I have mentored 2 graduate rotation students in the last year.Credentials
Work experience
Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery (2014 - 2018)
Undergraduate Research AssistantPenn Image Computing and Science Laboratory (2018 - 2019)
MRI Research AssistantUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2019 - Current)
Graduate Research AssistanceEducation
Vanderbilt University
BA Bachelor of Arts (2018)
Neuroscience; PsychologyUniversity of North Carolina - Chapel Hill (UNC Chapel Hill)
PhD Doctor of Philosophy candidate
Pharmacology