Jesse Schank

Jesse Schank leads the Schank Lab focusing on the neurobiological mechanisms linking stress, neuropeptides, and drug-seeking behavior. The lab specializes in the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R) and its role in the extended amygdala circuitry, particularly in stress-induced alcohol seeking, depression, and anxiety. Key projects include studying NK1R neurocircuitry in social defeat stress, oxycodone self-administration, and sex differences in alcohol consumption.

Research interests emphasize translational studies on substance use disorders, leveraging rodent models to investigate how stress and neuropeptides modulate addictive behaviors. Collaborative work explores inflammatory mediators like interleukin-6 and epigenetic factors influencing alcohol intake.

Publications highlight themes such as stress-alcohol interactions, aversion-resistant drinking, and neurokinin receptor antagonists as therapeutic targets. No scientific awards are explicitly listed in the provided texts.

Lab activities include studies on pharmacological interventions (e.g., NK1R antagonists), behavioral assays for stress response, and neuroanatomical mapping of substance P pathways. The lab collaborates on projects involving opioid and alcohol co-use, with a focus on sex differences and neuroinflammatory processes.