Matthew Hearing

Matthew Hearing is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Marquette University, where he has worked since 2010. He completed his Ph.D. at the Medical University of South Carolina (2010) and postdoctoral training at the University of Minnesota under Dr. Mark Thomas and Dr. Kevin Wickman.

• Education:
  • B.S. (2003), Marquette University
  • Ph.D. (2010), Medical University of South Carolina
  • Postdoctoral Training, University of Minnesota

Research Interests: Dr. Hearing's work focuses on neural plasticity in substance abuse and neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, anxiety, depression). His lab investigates how opioids and stimulants alter synaptic strength in the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens, using optogenetics, electrophysiology, and rodent models to identify interventions for relapse.

Publication Trends: His recent studies (2016–2007) emphasize opioid-induced plasticity, GIRK channels, sex differences in neuronal signaling, and relapse mechanisms across addiction and psychiatric disorders.

Teaching and Affiliations: Dr. Hearing teaches BISC 4931: Biology of Aging. He is affiliated with the Integrative Neuroscience Research Center (INRC) and the Neuroscience Collaboratory at Marquette University.