Lab Members – schmidtlab.org https://schmidtlab.org Schmidt Lab Tue, 19 May 2026 18:29:43 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://schmidtlab.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2018/11/cropped-brain-clipart-7-32x32.png Lab Members – schmidtlab.org https://schmidtlab.org 32 32 Austin Headed to UChicago Medical School on Full Scholarship https://schmidtlab.org/2026/05/19/austin-headed-to-uchicago-medical-school-on-full-scholarship/ Tue, 19 May 2026 18:29:43 +0000 https://schmidtlab.org/?p=945 Austin Pothikamjorn will be attending the Pritzker School of Medicine at the University of Chicago this fall on a full tuition scholarship! Congratulations Austin!

]]> Suraj Neelamagam presented on Upenn neuroscience research symposium https://schmidtlab.org/2026/04/21/suraj-neelamagam-presented-on-upenn-neuroscience-research-symposium/ Tue, 21 Apr 2026 18:39:51 +0000 https://schmidtlab.org/?p=938 Read More]]> On April 17th, Suraj Neelamagam presented his senior thesis at the UPenn Neuroscience Research Symposium. Conducted in collaboration with Antonia Caffrey and Riley Merkel under the advisement of Dr. Heath Schmidt, his research explored how GLP-1 receptors in the central amygdala (CeA) can be targeted to reduce cocaine-seeking behavior.
His findings show that the CeA-to-NAc circuit plays a critical role in the behavioral effects of Exendin-4 (Ex-4), suggesting that this pathway is responsible for GLP-1R-mediated attenuation of cocaine reinstatement. The research also found that increased GLP-1R signaling is associated with reduced anxiety-like behaviors.
Suraj will be graduating in May 2026. Congratulations on this incredible milestone!

]]> A Meta-Analysis of New Persistent Opioid Use by Yoonjae Lee and Dr. Schmidt https://schmidtlab.org/2026/02/02/a-meta-analysis-of-new-persistent-opioid-use-by-yoonjae-lee-and-dr-schmidt/ Mon, 02 Feb 2026 16:06:03 +0000 https://schmidtlab.org/?p=909 Read More]]> One in nine Americans will undergo a surgical procedure during their lifetime; for some, the treatment of postoperative pain represents their first prolonged exposure to an opioid. New persistent opioid use (NPOU)—defined as continued use beyond the typical three-month recovery period in opioid-naïve patients—is linked to increased morbidity, mortality, and opioid-related complications. A comprehensive literature search of 27 articles showed that opioid-naïve individuals insured by Medicaid, or those with preoperative anxiety, depression, or benzodiazepine use, face a higher risk for NPOU. This paper suggests that healthcare providers should pay extra attention to patients with these specific clinical and sociodemographic markers.

Link:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41452764/

]]> Congratulations Austin! https://schmidtlab.org/2025/07/03/congratulations-austin/ Thu, 03 Jul 2025 18:49:20 +0000 https://schmidtlab.org/?p=810 Read More]]> Austin Pothikamjorn has officially graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and is leaving the Schmidt Lab to begin an exciting new chapter. He will be joining the Division of Addiction Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA as a Research Assistant. There, he will be exploring the clinical side of substance use research—focusing on drug policy and clinical trials. We’re incredibly proud of Austin’s accomplishments and can’t wait to see the impact he’ll make in the field of addiction psychiatry. Thank you, Austin, for all your hard work, insight, and positive energy in the lab. Wishing you all the best on this next adventure!

]]> Congratulations Riley and colleagues on your Science Advances paper! https://schmidtlab.org/2025/03/05/congratulations-riley-and-colleagues-on-your-science-advances-paper/ Wed, 05 Mar 2025 21:39:12 +0000 https://schmidtlab.org/?p=792 Read More]]> Recent studies show that systemic administration of a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist is sufficient to attenuate cocaine seeking. However, the neural mechanisms mediating these effects and the role of endogenous central GLP-1 signaling in cocaine seeking remain unknown. Here, we show that voluntary cocaine taking decreased plasma GLP-1 levels in rats and that chemogenetic activation of GLP-1-producing neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarius that project to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) decreased cocaine seeking. Single-nuclei transcriptomics and FISH studies revealed that GLP-1Rs are expressed primarily on GABA neurons in the VTA. Using in vivo fiber photometry, we found that the efficacy of a systemic GLP-1R agonist to attenuate cocaine seeking was associated with increased activity of VTA GABA neurons and decreased activity of VTA dopamine neurons. Together, these findings suggest that targeting central GLP-1 circuits may be an effective strategy toward reducing cocaine relapse and highlight a functional role of GABAergic GLP-1R-expressing midbrain neurons in drug seeking.

Link to the paper: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40009667/

]]> Lucy Olcott: Visiting Scholar https://schmidtlab.org/2024/09/04/lucy-olcott-visiting-scholar/ Wed, 04 Sep 2024 13:19:43 +0000 https://schmidtlab.org/?p=741 Read More]]> This summer, the Schmidt Lab was delighted to welcome Lucy Olcott, a member of Syracuse University’s Class of 2025, as a summer intern. During her short time with us, Lucy made significant contributions to several complex behavioral projects, enhancing our understanding of the role GLP-1R signaling in opioid seeking. Beyond her exceptional work in the lab, Lucy also actively participated in weekly seminars and our Journal Club. The Schmidt Lab extends its gratitude to Lucy for her outstanding contributions this summer and wishes her the best of luck in her senior year at Syracuse University, where she is set to graduate with a B.S. in Chemistry next spring!

]]> Riley Merkel Accepted to PhD Program at Stanford University https://schmidtlab.org/2024/09/04/riley-merkel-accepted-to-phd-program-at-stanford-university/ Wed, 04 Sep 2024 13:08:08 +0000 https://schmidtlab.org/?p=598 Read More]]> After five years of working in the Schmidt Lab, Riley Merkel (B.A.) is headed west! Congratulations to Riley on her acceptance to Stanford University School of Medicine for graduate studies! Riley made significant contributions to the field of addiction neuroscience first as an Undergraduate Research Assistant and more recently as a Research Specialist. Her dedication to research and commitment to maintaining the lab’s excellence have been truly outstanding. We look forward to following her thesis research as it develops at Stanford. Good luck, Riley!

]]> Schmidt Lab attends SfN 2022 https://schmidtlab.org/2023/01/27/schmidt-lab-attends-sfn-2022/ Fri, 27 Jan 2023 18:38:59 +0000 https://schmidtlab.org/?p=411 Read More]]> Schmidt Lab members Antonia Caffrey, Rae Herman, and Riley Merkel presented their research at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in San Diego, California (Nov. 12 – 16).  In addition to displaying their original findings, the lab also took advantage of the opportunity to attend lectures by renowned scientists, explore graduate school programs, meet peers in the field, and enjoy the beauty of San Diego.

Poster Presentations

Antonia Caffrey presents “Exploring the role of neuropeptide Y receptor type 2 (Y2R) in fentanyl taking and seeking”
Rae Herman presents “GLP-1 Receptor Agonism in The Interpeduncular Nucleus Decreases Fentanyl Reinstatement in Male and Female Rats”
Riley Merkel presents “A novel role for amygdalar GLP-1 circuits in the reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior during abstinence”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

San Diego Fun

]]> Summer Undergraduate Internship Program 2022 https://schmidtlab.org/2022/08/15/summer-undergraduate-internship-program-2022/ Mon, 15 Aug 2022 15:55:03 +0000 https://schmidtlab.org/?p=391 Read More]]>  

The University of Pennsylvania Summer Undergraduate Internship Program (SUIP) is a 10-week intensive research opportunity for visiting undergraduate students. This summer, the Schmidt Lab was fortunate to welcome Camille Carthy, Lafayette College Class of 2023, as a SUIP intern.  During her short time in the lab, Camille contributed to various complex behavioral projects that furthered the labs understanding of the role of amygdalar GLP-1R signaling in the reinstatement of cocaine seeking during withdrawal. Most notably, Camille used her previous research experiences to aid in the lab’s exploration of cocaine administration and GLP-1R activation on amygdala neural dynamics using in vivo calcium imaging techniques. In addition to all her hard work in the lab, as a SUIP intern Camille also participated in weekly seminars, professional development workshops, and had the opportunity to present her summer research at both the SUIP Symposium and the Leadership Alliance National Symposium in Hartford, CT.

 

 

The Schmidt Lab thanks Camille for a great summer and wishes her the best of luck during her senior year at Lafayette where she is expected to graduate with a BS in Neuroscience next spring!!

]]> Seniors Graduate from the Schmidt Lab https://schmidtlab.org/2021/08/03/seniors-graduate-from-the-schmidt-lab/ Tue, 03 Aug 2021 14:47:23 +0000 https://schmidtlab.org/?p=332 Read More]]>

Congratulations to Amanda Moreno (B.A.), Riley Merkel (B.A.), Kamryn Stecyk (B.S.), and Suditi Rahematpura (B.S.) (pictured left to right) on their recent graduation from the University of Pennsylvania and the Schmidt Lab as a part of the Undergraduate Class of 2021!

The four graduates have been invaluable members of the Schmidt Lab team during their time as students at Penn. All have been awarded grants, fellowships, and/or awards for their research endeavors over the years. Most recently, and mentored by Dr. Schmidt, Moreno and Merkel successfully defended their senior honors theses at the Annual Neuroscience Research Symposium. This feat landed both Moreno and Merkel Neuroscience degrees with Honors Distinction at graduation and Moreno with the 2021 Elliot Stellar Award for best research talk.

Despite their shared learning experiences in the Schmidt lab, the young women have all forged their own unique paths for the future. This coming year Moreno will be serve as co-President and Director of Be Body Positive Philly, a nonprofit organization she co-founded dedicated to decreased eating disorder risk in marginalized youth. Moreno is expected to attend medical starting in the fall of 2022 and hopes to one day be a pediatrician working at the intersection of clinical care and public health. Stecyk plans to spend time interning at New England Aquarium and Small Animals Clinic and will attend veterinary school in the near future. Rahematpura will be working as a Hepatology Clinical Research Assistant in the Perelman School of Medicine conducting various clinical studies for patients with liver disease, many of whom struggle with opioid use disorder. Rahematpura aspires to take her knowledge from Schmidt Lab into the clinical world as an Emergency Medicine Physician to serve and discover new solutions for those who suffer from substance use disorders. Merkel, on the other hand, will be staying in Schmidt Lab as a Neuroscience Research Specialist.

 

]]>