Shawn Bates

Research Interests:

• Neuroscience
• Addiction
• Adolescence
• Stress

CURE-E Course: Biological Psychology (PSYC 324)

Project Title: Investigating the Role of Drugs and Environmental Toxins on Behavior

The goal of the CURE-E project will be to examine the effects of drugs and environmental toxins on worm behavior. As part of the CURE-E project, students develop a research question (guided by instructor) that they will then run an experiment to test. Through this activity, students will learn new techniques that will be important for the discipline, as well as help them to develop critical thinking skills. The project will provide new knowledge to the discipline by examining how commonly used drugs like caffeine, or environmental toxins like lead, affect behavior of a model organism.