Alexis B. Peterson 1
Alexis B. Peterson
Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral SciencesCell: 646-326-8766
University of VirginiaLab: 434-243-7071
1670 Discovery
Charlottesville, VA22911
Curriculum Vitae
Education
Ph.D. Neuroscience,University of Virginia November 2013
Dissertation: The efficacy of exercise to attenuate cocaine relapse is associated with changes in Bdnf and altered by sex and estrous cycle phase
B.A. Psychology, St. John’sUniversityMay 2009
Minor: Biology
Research Experience
Post-Doctoral researchNov. 2013-Present
University of Virginia, Cardiovascular Medicine Research Center
Advisor: Dr. Brian Annex
Graduate ResearchJuly 2009- Nov.2013University of Virginia, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences
Supervisor: Dr. Wendy Lynch
Project: Exercise as a Novel Intervention for Cocaine Addiction
Undergraduate Research AssistantAugust 2007-2009
St. John’sUniversity, Department of Psychology
Supervisor: Dr. Alice Powers
Project: Proposed Organization of the Turtle Amygdala: Hypothalamic Projections
Undergraduate Research AssistantMay 2008- Aug. 2008
CarnegieMellonUniversity, Department of Biological Sciences
Supervisor: Dr. Allison Barth
Project: Magnetic Field Bursts in the Stimulation of Selected Whiskers of Freely Moving Mice Traced with fos-GFP and junB
Service and Teaching Experience
Ad Hoc Reviewer Fall 2012-Present
Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine
Teaching Assistant, Neural Mechanisms of Behavior Fall 2012
University of Virginia, Department of Psychology
Graduate Student PanelistSpring 2011
Title of Discussion: “Graduate School: Getting in and Succeeding.”
University of Virginia, Summer Research Internship Program
Review Committee MemberSpring 2011-Present
University of Virginia, Summer Research Internship Program
University of Virginia ExhibitorFall 2010
Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students
Teaching Assistant, Mind Brain and Behavior CourseSpring 2011
University of Virginia, School of Medicine
Teaching Assistant, Astronomy CourseSpring 2010
SaturdayEnrichmentProgram-CurrySchool of Education,University of Virginia
Publications
Peterson AB., Hivick D., and Lynch WJ. (2013).Dose-Dependent Effectiveness of Wheel Running to Attenuate Cocaine-Seeking: Impact of Sex and Estrous Cycle.Psychopharmacology. Epub ahead of print
Peterson AB., Abel JM., and Lynch WJ. (2013). Dose-dependent Effectiveness of Wheel Running on Cocaine-seeking and Prefrontal Cortex Bdnfexon IV expression in rats.Psychopharmacology.Epub ahead of print
Lynch WJ.,Peterson AB., Sanchez V, Abel JM., Smith MA. (2013). “Exercise as a Novel Treatment for Drug Addiction: A Neurobiological Hypothesis.”NeurosciBiobehav Rev.37(8):1622-44
Lynch, W.J., Piehl K.B., Acosta G., Peterson A.B.,Hemby S.E. (2010). “Aerobic exercise attenuates reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior and associated neuroadaptations in the Prefrontal Cortex.” Biological Psychiatry,68(8):774-7.
Abstracts Accepted and Conference Presentations
Peterson AB., Abel JM., and Lynch WJ.“Dose dependent effects of exercise on cocaine-seeking and associated neuroadaptations in the prefrontal cortex.” 2013. Oral presentation at 75th Annual Meeting - College on Problems of Drug Dependence, San Diego, CA
Peterson, AB and Lynch, WJ.“Sex differences in the effects of exercise on subsequent cocaine craving in rats." 2012. Symposium presentation at 74th Annual Meeting - College on Problems of Drug Dependence, Palm Springs, CA
Peterson, AB and Lynch, WJ."Sex differences in the effects of exercise on subsequent cocaine craving in rats." 2011. Poster presentation at Society for Neuroscience 41st Annual Meeting Washington, DC.
Lynch W.J, Piehl K, Acosta G, Peterson A.B, Hemby S.E. “Aerobic exercise blocks incubation of cocaine-craving and its associated neuroadaptations.” 2010. Oral mini symposium at The College of Problems of Drug Dependence 72nd Annual Meeting Scottsdale, Arizona
Peterson, AB. “Magnetic field bursts in the stimulation of selected whiskers of freely moving mice traced with fos-GFP and junB.”2009. Oral presentation presented at National McNair Symposium University of Maryland, College Park.
Peterson, AB. "Connectionsoftheturtleamygdala:anevolutionarystudy." 2009.
Poster presentation at Diversifying Clinical Psychology Conference at Hotel Albuquerque Old TownAlbuquerque, New Mexico.
Peterson, AB.“Magnetic field bursts in the stimulation of selected whiskers of freely moving mice traced with fos-GFP and junB”.2008.Oral presentation presented at Final Symposium Carnegie Mellon University.
Peterson, AB. “Proposed organization of the turtle amygdala: hypothalamic projections”. 2008. Poster presentation at Women in Science Symposium St. John’s University.
Professional Memberships
Mentoring Institute for Graduate Education2009-Present
University of Virginia
Woman in Mathematics and ScienceSpring 2010-Present
University of Virginia
Academic Grant Programs
McNair Scholar2007-2009
St. John’sUniversity
Initiative to Maximize Student Diversity (IMSD), Scholar2007-January 2009
St. John’sUniversity
Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program, Scholar 2006-May 2009
St. John’sUniversity
Distinctions
Travel AwardMarch 2012
Primm-Singleton Minority Travel Awards Program for 2012 College on Problems of Drug Dependence Conference
Travel Award March 2012
NIDA Women & Sex/Gender Junior Investigator Travel Award for 2012 College on Problems of Drug Dependence Conference
Honorable Mention,Ford Pre-doctoral FellowshipApril 2011
2011 Ford Foundation Pre-doctoral Fellowship Competition
Keynote SpeakerOctober 2010
Ronald E. McNair Induction Ceremony, St. John’s University
Journal Club Co-PresidentAug. 2010-May 2011
Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia
Travel AwardAugust 2010
Leadership Development and Grant Writing Seminar Program Participant- Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) Program
Neuroscience Graduate Training Grant Appointment May 2010 to May 2011
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Membership2007 to May 2009
Psi Chi (National Honor Society for Psychology)
Travel AwardJanuary 2008
NationalAcademy of Neuropsychology Seminar Participant
Women in Science Certificate of Participation Poster Presentation- St. John’s
University 2008.
Dean’s List Recipient, 2007- 2008 Academic Year
Dean’s List Recipient, 2006 -2007 Academic Year
References
Wendy Lynch, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia.434-243-0580 (Office)
Alev Erisir, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Virginia.434-243-3549 (Office)