Understanding the neurobiology of substance use disorders and craving

The Bobadilla Lab investigates the neurobiological mechanisms of drug-seeking, research that we hope someday will help treat people struggling with substance use disorder. Specifically, we seek to characterize the specific ensembles of neurons that drive reward-seeking behavior, and compare how the brain processes drug vs natural rewards. By establishing whether addictive drugs really “hijack” the neuronal circuits coding for biological rewards, we aim to advance our fundamental understanding of goal-directed behaviors and the disorders altering them.

The Bobadilla Lab is led by Dr. Ana Clara Bobadilla, a behavioral neuroscientist and Assistant Professor at Colorado State University.