The mission of the Performance Assessment and Chemical Evaluation (PACE) laboratory in the Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience (CMPN) at WRAIR is to identify neurobiological targets and pharmacological compounds that effectively promote behavioral, physiological and emotional recovery from traumatic stress exposure. Using rodent models, we assess performance on behavioral tasks including operant behavior, maze performance, emotional reactivity, spontaneous motor activity, and other indices of learned and unlearned behavior. Neuroendocrine and neurobiological correlates are also assessed, using standard approaches like ELISA, immunohistochemistry and microscopy. We have recently established a clinical research program, focused on assessing drug effects on military-relevant performance and efficacy for trauma-related disorders using clinical trials. Within this translational research program, we are able to transition treatment strategies showing efficacy in preclinical settings to advanced testing for eventual application in clinical populations recovering from acute trauma or post-traumatic stress.

The lab is currently expanding capabilities to include human subjects research, clinical trials, chemogenetics, optogenetics, ex vivo whole cell electrophysiology in brain slices and other methods to evaluate neural circuit adaptations arising from traumatic stress. To fulfill these needs, applicants with expertise in human subjects research, clinical trials, neuroscience, rodent behavior, chemogenetics, optogenetics and/or ex vivo electrophysiology with an interest in stress recovery are especially encouraged to apply.

WRAIR’s CMPN is an active and growing research community that uses state-of-the-art science to fulfill its mission of maintaining and restoring the mental and physical well-being of soldiers and civilians. The ability to collaborate with other scientists within WRAIR and other DOD laboratories -- psychologists, pharmacologists, physiologists, and biochemists -- is integral, as is the ability to foster partnerships with scientists at other governmental institutions and within industry and academia. Scientific writing, presenting and publishing in peer-reviewed journals are also essential. Qualified applicants will have published two first-author papers in scientific peer-reviewed journals that are relevant to the work of the PACE laboratory.

References:

Altman, D. E. et al. (2018). Developmental differences in stress responding after repeated underwater trauma exposures in rats. Stress, 21 (3): 267-273.

Moore, N. L. et al. (2016). Adulthood stress responses in rats are variably altered as a factor of adolescent stress exposure. Stress, 19 (3): 295-302.

Genovese, R. F. & Dobre, S. (2017). Mitigation of adverse behavioral impact from predator exposure by the nociception/ orphanin FQ peptide antagonist J-113397 in rats. Behavioural Pharmacology, 28 (7): 521-530.

Lowery-Gionta et al. (2015). Functional alterations in the dorsal raphe nucleus following acute and chronic ethanol exposure. Neuropsychopharmacology, 40 (30): 590-600.

key words

Post traumatic stress disorder; PTSD; Pharmacology; Preclinical; Clinical; Translational; Animal; Treatment; Chemogenetics; Optogenetics; Electrophysiology; Neuroendocrine; Neuroinflammation; Psychology; Neuroscience; Behavioral neuroscience; Neuropharmacology; DREADDs; Acute Stress; Acute Stress Reactions

Citizenship:  Open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents and non-U.S. citizens

Level:  Open to Postdoctoral and Senior applicants