معرفی
Yeka Aponte, PhD, is an Adjunct Associate Professor and Chief of the Neuronal Circuits and Behavior Section at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Intramural Research Program, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She is also affiliated with Johns Hopkins University. Her research is conducted at the NIH Bayview Research Center in Baltimore, MD, where she leads a team investigating the neural basis of survival behaviors, particularly feeding and pain, with a focus on addiction mechanisms.
Research Interests: Dr. Aponte's work lies at the intersection of systems, cognitive, and computational neuroscience. Her lab studies genetically-identified neuronal cell types and their projections, using optogenetics, chemogenetics, in vivo electrophysiology, two-photon fluorescence endomicroscopy, and behavioral assays in awake, behaving mice. Her primary focus is on understanding how neural circuits regulate feeding, the rewarding nature of food, and opioid-related behaviors, aiming to uncover mechanisms underlying obesity, addiction, and eating disorders.
Publication Trends: Her recent publications (2023–2011) reveal a consistent trajectory in hypothalamic neuroscience, particularly the lateral and anterior hypothalamus, and paraventricular nucleus. She investigates parvalbumin and AGRP neurons, their electrophysiological properties, connectivity, and role in feeding, escape, and motivational behaviors. Her group also pioneers advanced imaging techniques for deep-brain circuit analysis.
Awards:
- No specific scientific awards were mentioned in the provided text.
Advising and Grants: As Chief of her section and an active principal investigator, Dr. Aponte mentors researchers and leads funded projects within the NIH Intramural Research Program. While specific advisees and grant names are not listed, her leadership role and publication record indicate active supervision of trainees and management of research funding. She is involved in graduate training programs, including affiliations with the Neuroscience Training Program.
Labs and Teams: Dr. Aponte leads the Neuronal Circuits and Behavior Section at NIDA/IRP, a multidisciplinary team using cutting-edge tools to dissect neural circuits. Her lab is part of the Cellular and Neurocomputational Systems Branch and collaborates across NIH and with institutions like Johns Hopkins University.
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