Alexander Jackson

Alexander Jackson is an Associate Professor at the University of Connecticut's Department of Physiology and Neurobiology. His research focuses on the cellular and synaptic neurophysiology of hypothalamic neural circuits regulating sleep, arousal, and feeding. He employs techniques such as patch-clamp electrophysiology, optogenetics, and single-cell gene expression profiling to study lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) neurons and their roles in homeostasis and disease.

Dr. Jackson holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University. His lab actively seeks graduate students and postdocs interested in cellular electrophysiology and hypothalamic circuits. Key research themes include identifying neurochemical identities of LHA neurons, dissecting synaptic connectivity, and exploring therapeutic targets for neuropsychiatric disorders.

Recent work highlights his contributions to understanding energy balance regulation via spliceosome mechanisms and sex differences in fear memory neural projections. His publications span topics from ion channel expression to histamine circuitry, reflecting a multidisciplinary approach to hypothalamic neuroscience.

Dr. Jackson's lab is part of the broader University of Connecticut Health Center, emphasizing translational research into metabolic and psychiatric conditions linked to hypothalamic dysfunction.