![](https://cdn.vanderbilt.edu/vu-web/medschool-wpcontent/sites/24/2018/08/25030639/Zachry-Jennifer_photo1819.jpeg)
Jennifer Zachry
Washington and Lee University
ErinĀ Calipari lab
I am investigating Substance use disorder (SUD), a syndrome that constitutes a major public health concern in the United States. At the core of SUD is behavioral and neuronal plasticity that affects not only drug-associated behaviors but also causes severe deficits in decision-making and motivation. I am studying how neurons that undergo drug-induced plasticity are involved in adaptive behaviors to give us a better understanding of how to target these systems for SUD treatment while preserving their critical functions in normal behaviors