Dr. Laura C. Ornelas, Psychology

Name:

Dr. Laura C. Ornelas

Title:

Assistant Professor

Department:

Psychology

Describe your research in about 200 words.

The Ornelas lab investigates the neurobiology of traumatic stress and alcohol use disorders. Dr. Ornelas has a K99/R00 Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) Award through the NIAAA that focuses on the role of corticolimbic circuitry in adaptive stress coping behavior and subsequent alcohol drinking. Current research in the lab focuses on utilizing predator odor stress models to induce traumatic stress in rats and investigate the role of corticolimbic circuitry and the endocannabinoid system in regulating maladaptive stress coping behaviors and alcohol drinking. The lab utilizes a combination of behavioral and neuroscience techniques including chemogenetics, pharmacological manipulations and whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology. Current research interests include understanding the neurobiology of PTSD and alcohol use disorders, neurophysiological properties associated with maladaptive stress coping and alcohol drinking and behavioral and neurobiological consequences of prenatal alcohol and cannabinoid exposure.

What’s the most interesting thing you have learned from a student?

Maybe not the most interesting but one of the most important things I have learned from my students the importance of having fun in science!