My laboratory investigates how exposure to drugs of abuse, alcohol, and stress reshapes the brain, with a particular focus on transmitter plasticity and its impact on neural circuit function and behavior. We use a brain-wide, circuit-neuroscience approach that integrates genetic mouse models with circuit manipulation (chemogenetic, optogenetic, and gene-expression tools), fiber photometry, behavioral analyses, and brain-wide mapping to define the mechanisms through which detrimental experiences alter brain function and behavior.