David H. Root

David H. Root is an Associate Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Colorado, affiliated with the Psychology and Neuroscience School and the Center for Neuroscience. He earned his PhD from Rutgers University in 2012. His research focuses on dissecting neural circuits underlying pain, pleasure, addiction, and stress using molecular, electrophysiological, and viral-based approaches. The Root Lab specifically investigates how neurons and pathways govern reward-seeking, harm avoidance, and mood disorders.

Recent work includes a 2024 study on ventral tegmental area glutamate neurons and their role in salience signaling. His lab has secured multiple NIH R01 grants from NIMH, including two new awards in 2024. Notable advisees include Annie Ly (NIH Outstanding Scholar in Neuroscience) and Emily Prevost. The lab actively recruits research assistants and electrophysiologists, emphasizing translational neuroscience research.

Key grants: Two R01 grants from NIMH (2024), supporting studies on addiction and stress circuits. The lab also collaborates on projects involving viral tracing and imaging techniques to map neural pathways.