Briana M. Mason, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Personal Statement:
I am a current postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of Dr. Gregory T. Collins. My main goals are to characterize the behavioral responses to drugs that directly or indirectly alter dopaminergic pathways, evaluate drugs that modulate the reinforcing effects of illicit substances, and utilize these drugs as potential pharmacotherapies to reduce the reward-related behaviors associated with repeated drug administration.
My current work will contribute valuable knowledge in substance use disorder research, as well as provide novel directions in substance use disorder treatment.
Education
Ph.D., Behavioral Neuroscience
University of Massachusetts
Boston, Massachusetts
B.S., Biology
University of Massachusetts
Boston, Massachusetts
Research
| • self-administration | • reward |
| • reinforcement | • inflammation |
Awards & Accomplishments
Honors, Fellowships, and Scholarships
Research Supplement to Parent Merit Award (Office of Research and Development, South Texas Health Care System – Veterans Affairs)
T32 Training in Drug Abuse Research Program Fellowship (National Institutes on Drug Abuse)
Awards
Center for Biomedical Neuroscience – Best Postdoctoral Poster Award (2021)
American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics – Travel Award (2021)
Publications
Mason, B., *Calhoun, C.A., *Woytowicz, V., *Pina, L., *Kanda, R., *Dunn, C., *Alves, A., and Donaldson, S.T. (2021). CXCR4 inhibition with AMD3100 attenuates amphetamine induced locomotor activity in adolescent Long Evans male rats. Plos One, 16(3), p.e0247707.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247707
Mason, B., Rollins, L. G., *Asumadu, E., *Cange, C., *Walton, N., and Donaldson, S. T. (2018). Nesting environment provides sex-specific neuroprotection in a rat model of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic injury. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 12, 221.
DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00221.