Scripps Research Joint Appointments

Associate Professor, Department of Neuroscience
Member, Pearson Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research
Faculty, Graduate Program

Other Joint Appointments

Associate Adjunct Professor, Department of Neurosciences, UCSD
Member, Neurosciences Graduate Program, UCSD

Research Focus

The Zorrilla laboratory seeks to understand the neural substrates of motivated behavior and of the regulatory control of energy balance using interdisciplinary molecular, biochemical, neuroanatomical, pharmacological, physiological, behavioral and statistical techniques. We are particularly interested in genetic, epigenetic and neuroadaptive differences in the neurobiology of reward and stress circuits that subserve the control of food intake as well as of other appetitive (reward-driven) and stress-related behaviors. Our work aims to be therapeutically relevant to the increased incidence of obesity, binge eating disorders, alcoholism and drug addiction, and stress-related psychiatric disorders of anxiety and depression in industrialized societies.

Education

Ph.D., Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, 1996
M.A., Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, 1992
B.S., Psychology/Economics/Political Science (triple major), Duke University, 1991

Links

Zorrilla Lab website

Zorrilla Lab publications