Lisa Gerak

Contact

Location: Med Bld. Rm 210B

Department

Pharmacology

Lisa Gerak, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor/Research

Personal Statement:

Studies conducted in this laboratory examine the acute and chronic behavioral effects of benzodiazepines and other positive GABAA modulators, particularly neuroactive steroids. Benzodiazepine tolerance and dependence differentially alters the effects of positive GABAA modulators, depending on their site of action.
Our primary research goal is to investigate changes in GABAA receptor function with benzodiazepine tolerance and dependence, discover the nature of differences between the effects of neuroactive steroids and those of benzodiazepines, and determine whether these differences can be exploited for clinical benefit.


Education

Ph.D., Pharmacology
Louisiana State University Medical Center
New Orleans, Louisiana

Research

benzodiazepine • neuroactive steroid
• dependence • tolerance

Affiliations

2013-2015 – Secretary/Treasurer of the Behavioral Pharmacology Division of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET)
06/98-Present – College on Problems of Drug Dependence
11/93-Present – Society for Stimulus Properties of Drugs
2005-Present – American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) Member