Highlights
- 1
- 2Nature communications · 2024
- 3Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience · 2020
Publications
Funding
Active
3 grants- PIT32GM141949-06Predoctoral Training in Pharmacological SciencesNational Institute of General Medical Sciences · 2021–2031Training· 2 renewals
- PIR01AA027645-08The role of rapid estrogen signaling in alcohol drinking behaviorNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism · 2019–2029· 2 renewals
Completed grants (10)
- KPF31AA029293-01A1A reciprocal relationship between alcohol and the p450 enzyme aromataseNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism · 2021–2024Fellowship
- KPR01MH117004-01A1The cellular memory of early life adversityNational Institute of Mental Health · 2020–2024
- KPR01NS106056-01A1DNA methylation based binary enhancers govern neuronal allocation to coding in the hippocampusNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke · 2018–2023
- MPIR21DA048635-01The DNA methylation code governing the ensemble representation of morphine-context associationNational Institute on Drug Abuse · 2019–2021
- PIR00AA023559-05The role of excitatory inputs to BNST CRF neurons in alcohol drinking behaviorNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism · 2017–2020· 2 renewals
- PIBBRF 26608A Maladaptive Synaptic Switch Driving Alcohol Consumption Across Neuropsychiatric DiseasesBrain & Behavior Research Foundation · 2018–2020
- KPF32AA025530-02Impact of Adolescent Alcohol on Development of the Prefrontal CortexNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism · 2017–2019Fellowship
- PIUBMTA AAVs for optogenetic studies.University of Pennsylvania · 2017–2018Contract
- PIK99AA023559-03The Role of Excitatory Inputs to BNST CRF Neurons in Alcohol Drinking BehaviorNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism · 2016–2017
- PIF32AA021043-03The effect of alcohol drinking on NPY modulation of inhibition in the BNSTNIAAA · 2012–2015 · via NIH RePORTER
Honors & distinctions
- PECASE (Presidential Early Career Award) · U.S. Government (PECASE)
News mentions
- Inflammation During Pregnancy May Prime Offspring for AnxietySeptember 9, 2025
Increased risk for anxiety may begin before birth, shaped by infection or stressful events during pregnancy, according to a new preclinical study from researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine.
- Three Institutional Scientists Receive Presidential AwardJanuary 16, 2025
Drs. Steven Josefowicz, Ekta Khurana and Kristen Pleil were among 400 early-career scientists and engineers to receive the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.
- Preclinical Study Finds Surges in Estrogen Promote Binge Drinking in FemalesDecember 30, 2024
The hormone estrogen regulates binge drinking in females, causing them to “pregame”—consume large quantities of alcohol in the first 30 minutes after it’s offered, according to a preclinical study led by scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine.
- Brain-Circuit Discovery May Help Explain Sex Differences in Binge DrinkingOctober 4, 2021
A brain circuit that works as a “brake” on binge alcohol drinking may help explain male-female differences in vulnerability to alcohol use disorders, according to a preclinical study led by scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine.
Mentoring
PhD · 5
- LZLia ZallarPharmacology (PhD) · Class of 2024
- JRJean RiveraNeuroscience (PhD) · Class of 2022
- IPIrena PigulevskiyPharmacology (PhD)
- JMJacqueline MehrMD-PhD WGS Pharmacology (PhD)
- JWJacqueline WeldayNeuroscience (PhD)
Postdoc · 3
- MHMatthew HartmannPostdoc mentee · 2021–2021
- SRSydney RowsonPostdoc mentee · 2021–2021