To carry out our investigations we analyze the epigenome of brain reward regions of rodents exposed to chronic drug and stress paradigms, including drug self-administration, which most closely models the human experience. Conversely, we utilize viral-delivery of highly novel molecular tools to manipulate the molecular motifs at a specific gene to determine their causal role in drug- and stress-responsive behaviors. Using this approach we aim to make great strides towards elucidating the precise functional relevance of epigenetic remodeling in neuropsychiatric disease.
Watch Dr. Heller present on “Nr4a1 and chromatin bivalency in cocaine pathophysiology” as part of WWN’s Neurobiology of Addiction series here.
Watch Dr. Heller present on “Epigenetic regulation of alternative splicing in the context of cocaine reward” as part of WWN’s Neuroepigenetics series here.
