Miriam Melis

I am a neuropsychopharmacologist with extensive experience on research related to disorders involving dopamine (DA) neurons in laboratory animals. I have been interested in studying neuropsychiatric disorders with a focus on the role played by the endocannabinoid (ECB) system in the modulation of DA neurons and behavior. My interest in the field of cannabis research is aligned with my general interest in understanding neurobiological underpinnings (e.g., adaptations of both DA and ECB systems) of susceptibility to neuropsychiatric disorders, whether this vulnerability is innate (i.e., temperaments, sex) or induced by early life adversities (e.g. drug exposure, maternal neglect). My research interest is also a natural extension of the one I have carried out over the past 28 years by addressing the effects, and multiple roles, of DA neurons both in vivo and in vitro, and its behavioral readout.