Career Enhancement Core

Applications are not currently being accepted. Please send questions regarding the application process to Amanda Wagner.

(1) Intensive mentored research experiences designed to prepare outstanding early career faculty to become independent investigators in research on sex as a biological variable as well as sex differences as they relate to stress in human health and disease. 

(2) Didactic material in responsible conduct of research, transparent research design, biostatistics and statistical analysis, research methods, and translational research skills related to sex differences in order to provide a strong, comprehensive base of relevant knowledge and skills.

(3) Regularly scheduled seminars and journal clubs to promote information exchange and interdisciplinary interaction in the context of current findings and new implications.

(4) Ongoing activities providing continuing review and consultation in critical areas such as biostatistical consultation, Responsible Conduct of Research and Good Clinical Practice, Rigor and Reproducibility, Human Subjects protection and privacy issues, and grant writing skills in order to ensure continuous learning, sound judgment and awareness of changing dynamics in scientific research.

(5) Additional opportunities to participate in thematic or topical exchanges with other interdisciplinary research groups at MUSC pertinent to the SCORE Scholars’ research in order to present their ideas and data, extend their interdisciplinary perspective on research, and expand networking opportunities for future collaborations.

(6) A comprehensive evaluation plan for reviewing and evaluating Scholar progress and program effectiveness in order to continuously improve our ability to provide outstanding mentoring to CEC Scholars.

(1) Knowledge and skills to conduct research focused on sex differences

(2) Scientific knowledge and professional development

(3) Fundamental research skills

(4) Dissemination and presentation of research findings

(5) Scientific writing

Understanding the role of stress, sleep and pain on peripartum cannabis use 

Marie Hayes, Ph.D.: Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit substance among pregnant and postpartum women and use is associated with negative outcomes for parent and baby. Roughly three quarters of women who achieve abstinence from cannabis during pregnancy relapse in the postpartum period. Despite high rates of relapse and negative health outcomes, no intervention exists to support postpartum women to abstain from cannabis use during a time marked by increased stress, pain, and sleep disturbance all of which are associated with cannabis use in non-perinatal populations. This study will collect qualitative data from patients and obstetric providers to inform intervention development to support women to maintain abstinence from cannabis use throughout the postpartum period.

Central amygdalar mechanisms of sex differences in threat responsivity in the context of alcohol dependence

Christina Lebonville, Ph.D.: Alcohol misuse likely disrupts normal stress responsivity by directly engaging stress systems. Altered responses to threat are features of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mood disorders, and alcohol use disorder (AUD) which are often comorbid. Chronic alcohol exposure may predispose people to develop disorders like PTSD and worsen their prognoses. AUD prevalence has grown faster in women, who face higher risk of developing some stress and mood disorders. Understanding mechanisms by which chronic alcohol affects stress-responsivity across sex is foundational to exploring how AUD interacts with stress and mood disorders. The central amygdala (CeA) is a key brain region in stress/alcohol-related behavior. Both stress and alcohol engage a CeA neuron subpopulation expressing dynorphin (CeADyn), thus these neurons may be a key site for alcohol-stress interactions. Current studies employ mouse threat responsivity tasks to examine the roles of biological sex and CeADyn neuron activity in acute stress-responsivity to inform treatment of AUD and comorbid stress and mood disorders.

Delisa Brown, PhD: Sex differences in the effects of early childhood adversity in laboratory-induced stress and craving among individuals with opioid use disorder

Onder Albayram, PhD: Sex-associated difference in mitochondrial stress response following traumatic brain injury

Kathleen Crum, PhD: Maternal substance use and intergenerational transmission of stress response: neural emotion processing and mother-child interactions

Christine Hahn, PhD: Integrated early intervention for substance use and PTSD among women following sexual assault