Frazier Laboratory

Welcome to the Frazier Lab. We are located in the University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacodynamics.

In a broad sense, a primary goal of our work is to contribute to the development of a thorough mechanistic understanding of how excitability is regulated, and information is processed, at the cellular and synaptic level in the mammalian CNS. An important and closely related goal is to learn, at a detailed and mechanistic level, how brain function is altered by aging, stress, drug abuse, or disease. We pursue these goals using a robust combination of electrophysiological, optical, optogenetic, genetic, and analytic tools.

At present we have two specific areas of research focus. The first is on centrally acting oxytocin and its role in stress responding, anxiety, and social interactions. The second is on age-related changes in cellular and synaptic physiology in prefrontal cortex and amygdala, with an emphasis on understanding impacts on executive function and decision making. Recent/prior work from the lab has also focused on the role of endocannabinoids and ambient GABA in modulating neuronal excitability in the hippocampus (an area of the brain essential for leaning and memory, and implicated in the initiation of some types of temporal lobe seizures).

In addition, we are interested in software development for use in neurobiology. We are currently developing and maintaining separate software programs designed for off-line analysis of electrophysiological data (Ophys), telemetry data (Telem-a-Gator), and line scan data from quantitative two-photon imaging experiments (Scan-a-Gator). We are often looking for highly motivated students and postdocs with a strong technical background and a sincere interest in the work.