In this episode of Discovery Dialogues, neuroscience PhD candidate Soren Emerson shares how personal experiences and a passion for helping others led him to study addiction and brain function at Vanderbilt. He explores how cocaine changes the brain and how his research could uncover new paths for treating substance use disorders. Along the way, Soren reflects on the challenges, collaboration, and resilience that define life as a graduate researcher.
Meet Soren
Soren Emerson is a PhD candidate in Neuroscience at Vanderbilt University in the Calipari Lab who studies how drugs of abuse alter brain function at the molecular level. His research uses single-cell technologies and behavioral neuroscience to identify new therapeutic targets for substance use disorders. His research has been recognized by the Provost Pathbreaking Discovery Award and Dean’s Award for Exceptional Achievement at Vanderbilt and is supported by a Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral NRSA (F31) and Yale/NIDA Neuroproteomics Center Pilot Grant.
Show Notes
Advice for a Young Investigator
Lacy-Fischer Interdisciplinary Research Grants
Brain Imaging and Electrophysiology Network (BIEN) Lab
Transcript
Read the full episode transcript.