Alec Gamboa

Interdisciplinary Research: Cellular & Molecular Neuroscience and Physics

Alec is currently a Ph.D. student in Pharmacology & Molecular Neuroscience at Georgetown University Medical Center. His research interests include: The Cellular & Molecular Mechanisms of neurodegenerative disorders; particularly Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease. He is also fascinated by psychedelic research. He wishes to continue interdisciplinary research and hopes to bridge the gap between Neuroscience and Physics in academia.

He earned his B.S. degrees in both Neuroscience and Psychology from George Mason University

During his time at George Mason, Alec served as the laboratory manager for Dr. Tara Chaplin's Youth Emotion Lab, where he managed two NIH-funded studies, supervising the Parent-Teen Study (PAIT-II). Additionally, he was a faculty research assistant for Dr. Jane Flinn, where he investigated white matter and cell density in TBI modeled mice. Furthermore, he served as an officer for the Physics and Astronomy Society. During his undergraduate degrees, he led and supervised the Parent-Adolescent Immigration Study (PAIS), directed by Dr. Claire Milligan.

Current Research

Alec is currently writing an NSF grant to investigate the role of Dimethyltryiptamine, Harmaline, and Harmine (Ayahuasca's chemical structure) on the proliferation stage of neurogenesis. He proposes to look at the subventricular zone in the lateral ventricle of Tg2576 mice.

Principal Investigator: Alec Gamboa

Co-Investigator: Autumn Jones

Selected Publications

Gonçalves, S. F., Mauro, K. M., Kinsey-Kerr, M. G., Gamboa Fuentes, A., Thompson, J. C., & Chaplin, T. M. (accepted). Behavioral inhibition and approach tendencies are associated with striatal activation to loss: Implications for adolescent substance use. Neuropsychologia. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108371

Education

Ph.D. Student in Neuroscience

Georgetown University Medical Center

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Neuroscience and Psychology, Bachelors of Science

George Mason University

Recent Presentations

Gamboa Fuentes, A*., Kinsey-Kerr, G.M*., Jones A., Macdonald G., Kisner, M., Chaplin, T.M. (2022) Negative Life Events and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Predict Future Suicidal Ideation in Early to Middle Adolescence. [Conference] Society for Research in Child Development, USA

Gamboa Fuentes, A*., Hinagpis, C. L*., Selma-Toledo, M., Goncalves, S. F., Regalario, I., & Chaplin, T. M. (2021) Parental Social Support Moderates The Relation Between Life Stress and Substance Use. [Conference] Society for Research on Adolescence, USA

*co-first author