Download Dickinson College Undergraduate Summer Research Opportunity In

Dickinson College
Undergraduate Summer Research Opportunity
In the Area of Drug Addiction
Environmental cues associated with addictive drugs (e.g. methamphetamine) facilitate relapse in
users, perhaps by inducing craving via a classical conditioning mechanism. While traditional
extinction alone (i.e., presenting the environmental cue in the absence of the drug, often called
Exposure Therapy in clinical settings) has been proposed as a behavioral technique to lessen the
ability of environmental cues to produce relapse in users (i.e., "erase" drug memories), its
clinical efficacy has been limited. Thus, using an animal model of drug craving (i.e., drug
sensitization), this summer I plan to conduct a project that seeks to examine the effects of two
different behavioral manipulations (increasing the number of extinction trials, Experiment 1; and
combining voluntary physical exercise with extinction training, Experiment 2) to enhance
extinction learning and blunt methamphetamine sensitization in mice. These anticipated
preclinical results may suggest that extensive exposure therapy, or combining voluntary physical
exercise with exposure therapy, would prevent relapse in methamphetamine users.
The Position.
I am interested in hiring an undergraduate student from Dickinson College to serve as my
Research Assistant. The position is full-time (40 hours/week) for an 8-week period (June 6 –
July 29). Occasional weekend work may be required. Students will receive $350/week as a
stipend. Housing on-campus will be provided at no cost to the student. Preference will be given
to applicants with experience working with animals. The successful applicant also should be
available to attend a professional conference during the 2016/17 academic year. Graduating
seniors are not eligible for the position.
The Application.
If you are interested in the position, please submit to Prof. Anthony Rauhut via e-mail
([email protected]) a 1-page, single-spaced essay explaining how this assistantship will
facilitate your future goals. As part of your essay, please indicate the work experience and
academic courses that you have taken that might be related (broadly speaking) to the project.
Application Deadline: Friday, April 1, 2016.
For More Information.
If you would like further information and/or would like to schedule an appointment to meet with
Prof. Anthony Rauhut, please contact him directly (e-mail: [email protected] or campus
phone: (245-1079).