https://stefaniklab.squarespace.com/people daily 0.75 2026-06-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/9a677b06-3954-4e99-a388-bb9d0c852975/Stefanik+Lab+Tshirt+Design.png People Stefanik Lab t-shirt design 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624042907699-2T9TBII10UNKVK7CJSHN/Staining%2Bsummer%2B2021.jpg People Itzel completing some histology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/5c099a27-b336-4ba3-97d4-6b1a450166c9/Slicing+Summer+2021.jpeg People Josh slicing brains https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624042942499-8CYC7EPSQOMX3CIC8O6B/Summer%2B2021.jpg People Jack and Megan making catheters https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/bd69cf93-5387-41f4-b904-8c3244a57a4f/Ben+ruining+science.jpeg People Ben pipetting directly into the transfer box https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/e384dae8-ceb4-47a7-9a12-61797ed87b96/FUN+2019+Chicago+2.jpeg People FUN poster sessions 2019 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/50de3155-4fba-4cfb-900a-8872d164d0fb/Summer+2019+Ben.jpeg People Ben presents at SURC 2019 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/0472bceb-abed-41f1-834b-6486c13abb86/FUN+2019+Chicago+3.jpeg People FUN poster session 2019 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624043839837-ZM959RIYO2ZO644W48YM/IMG_6404.jpg People Megan and Ally, Summer 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/e7e608f6-66b6-46e4-b6e1-a825c1327f56/IMG_6408.jpeg People Jack and Adrian, Summer 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624043889260-4LGFD0R4Y0J42B50U9CJ/IMG_3216.jpg People Ollie and his bag collection 2019 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/64848627-6ef8-4146-8c80-5f7599eee271/FUN+2019+Chicago.jpeg People Ben and Alexa at the FUN conference 2019 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/af5f3bab-2872-4b81-8533-e9eb7e4ecfac/Lab+Spring+2021+no+MTS.jpeg People Stefanik Lab Thesis Students 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/0cd12f35-6899-4ed8-baed-c718996af3c6/Summer+2019+Alexa.jpeg People Alexa presents at SURC 2019 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/7a827dee-9f7d-44be-8cbc-b2acb69002ea/Lab+Spring+2021.jpeg People Thesis students 2020-2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624043753222-PDQ4HPI8DEUWB6N57PCL/IMG_2247.jpg People Drs. Kelley, Gill, and Stefanik https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/7af4d194-66a2-4ee0-99fb-d97711f9a23b/IMG_3213.jpeg People Ashley and Jacob, Summer 2019 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/f8b0492a-9a7a-485e-a256-dbab5461f5da/IMG_3214.jpeg People Ben and Alexa, Summer 2019 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/71a3a6a4-4086-4d9d-b888-b65c3f125280/Stefanik%2Bheadshot.jpg People - Michael T. Stefanik, Ph.D. Principal Investigator Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience Born in Adams, Massachusetts, Michael received his undergraduate degree in Psychology from Middlebury College in Vermont. He went on to receive his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the Medical University of South Carolina, under the direction of Dr. Peter Kalivas. His dissertation research focused on characterizing the neurocircuitry underlying relapse to cocaine seeking, using an inhibitory optogenetic approach. The goal of this work was to examine the role of various reward-related neural structures during reinstated drug seeking and to examine temporally-dependent functional and structural changes in the brain that result from such behaviors. Michael then went on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship at the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in the lab of Dr. Marina Wolf. His work, supported by an individual postdoctoral NRSA award, focused on understanding the role that protein translation plays in the maintenance of long-term pathological synaptic adaptations that underlie the incubation of cocaine craving. It sought to characterize the mechanisms regulating translation in nucleus accumbens medium spiny neurons under basal conditions, and then examined adaptations in these mechanisms following extended cocaine withdrawal. As the resident molecular neuroscientist on staff at North Central College, his lab’s current work looks at molecular, cellular, and circuit-level changes that contribute to oxycodone craving and relapse. Outside of lab, Michael enjoys traveling, cooking, tending to his garden, and running as far as he can. Curriculum Vitae Google Scholar https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624823891374-S38J1KUWBX33H5PLYGO2/Stefanik+Lab+Tshirt+Design.png People https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624053006092-22LI3WURHE1XO1B3HSX8/Stefanik+Lab+Tshirt+Design.png People https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/3f30b4c8-0e17-4e1d-ad43-44d0c41568f0/IMG_7248.jpg People https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/72503f01-5d5d-4c57-8df7-4283801a1586/IMG_6142.jpg People https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/3a23ecd6-d609-4854-9a2e-6f8455810f08/Screenshot+2026-01-07+at+9.31.13%E2%80%AFPM.png People https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624053030485-G2KD5ZBGSNPND4VWSZJX/Stefanik+Lab+Tshirt+Design.png People https://stefaniklab.squarespace.com/courses daily 0.75 2026-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624905924828-RR4GJSKMQ3FNGDYEJ7RV/Overlay+TOUCH+copy.jpg Courses - The Hidden Curriculum Project Idea Submission A.K.A. The “I was never taught how to do this but wish I was” Project. Ever wonder why some of your peers seem to “get” things so quickly? The goal of this project is to create a series of videos/posters/resources for students to help with the simple things that often we assume everyone knows or sometimes might be embarrassed to ask about. The hope is to create resource that might be helpful to those who right be afraid to ask questions that appear obvious to some, but not all. Now taking submissions for topic ideas! Submit an idea below. (All submissions are anonymous.) https://stefaniklab.squarespace.com/home daily 1.0 2026-06-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624038342727-I4C5V2XIUW8OLP9RJT0V/Image%2Bfrom%2BiOS%2B%25281%2529.jpg Home - Research Find out about the latest projects in the lab. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1612902180293-MF8YSVP2W370SQ4FL17A/IMG_2162.jpg Home - People Meet Dr. Stefanik, current, and former lab members. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1612902450037-DUPDGYQ30GIIV7FN9O56/IMG_1074.jpg Home - Classroom Check out resources related to Dr. Stefanik’s courses. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624911535516-KM7FF0MPE8M2ODQEX0KC/Image+for+site+copy.jpg Home - News Check out the latest news and accomplishments from the lab https://stefaniklab.squarespace.com/research-projects daily 0.75 2026-06-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1618497259178-6XJGK9GR6YAVBQL5L519/20140301_Trade-151_012-2.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1607694583486-2PQT0LQ193RL7MCB6DX4/20140228_Trade+151_0046.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1607694644871-IC85FNH781UNZSZEGHDR/Aro+Ha_0428.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1607638148090-Y6OFDI575CM3NQV732RJ/Large+JPG-Aro+Ha_0387.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1607628784608-5D22G9GPLHDSAB2IXC2G/Large+JPG-Aro+Ha_0638.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1589847743861-GWVMBPD7Z7WQRQL9IZZ8/Large+JPG-Aro+Ha_0380.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1618497259178-6XJGK9GR6YAVBQL5L519/20140301_Trade-151_012-2.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624903017769-CPDT13IPVXQPXMBUGSVT/Gel+Image+for+WCBR.jpg About - Calcium-permeable AMPA receptors and the incubation of oxycodone craving. Are there common mechanisms that contribute to drug-seeking behavior? In an effort to identify common/divergent mechanisms that contribute to the intensification (“incubation”) of oxycodone craving, we are utilizing a host of pharmacological and biochemical techniques to identify protein-level changes in the nucleus accumbens and other reward-related brain regions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624903957384-9AD8A8IDX3B1ZLWDC7PG/Image+from+iOS.jpg About - Neuronal ensemble activity identification during drug seeking. How do pathways and circuits interact with each other to produce pathologically-motivated behaviors? To answer these questions, we utilize viral tract tracing and Fos immunohistochemstry to see when specific neural populations are active and who they are “talking” to. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624903455437-O2A7L98WWNMSQLDXDWH8/Overlay-2%2BNO%2BGFP%2BTOUCH%2Bcopy.jpg About - Receptor composition changes involved in motivated behaviors. How do receptors reorganize following drug experience? We are examining a number of pathological changes in receptor composition using techniques like Proximity Ligation Assays. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624904396764-ONSZUL7L1GFKHL2HNXK8/Deconvolved+Max+projection+GluN3+copy.jpg About - Neuronal circuit manipulation. What is the functional significance of these changes? Using optogenetic tools, we can manipulate cells and circuits to assess their contributions to behavior using light. https://stefaniklab.squarespace.com/news daily 0.75 2026-06-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/2a63c018-883d-4dda-8d72-0ba92fadf092/IMG_3119.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1723562854999-B6BRDP3AEDG7G2VCR50O/unsplash-image-pzyoWRIWOQ8.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/e9e237da-73a9-4f53-91b0-4440f52014c3/Award.png News Dr. Stefanik awarded College honor for distinguished scholarship. August 2025: Dr. Stefanik was awarded the 2025 North Central College Distinguished Scholarship and Creative Work Award. This award is giving to a faculty member with a record of scholarship and/or creative work within the past 5 calendar years that in quality and quantity distinguishes the nominee. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/338c898f-c0ba-42f3-8d8f-5f4b190e546e/Screenshot+2024-12-12+at+10.32.51+AM.png News New Stefanik Lab publication is now out! November 2024: The lab’s new manuscript examining the role of dopamine D1 and NMDA receptor heteromers in protein translation was published in Neurochemical Research. This manuscript identifies a role for these heteromers in cultured neurons, and goes on to demonstrate they are present in nucleus accumbens tissue. This is the final paper in the lab from two North Central student co-authors Alexa Zimbelman (‘19) and Ben Wong (‘20)! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/4d7b886d-e024-4c15-aa37-9684b459c6b4/REVISED_Graphical_Abstract_Biol_Psych.jpg News The first Stefanik Lab publication is out! October 2022: The lab’s first manuscript examining the role of calcium-permeable AMPA receptors in the incubation of oxycodone craving was published in Addiction Biology. First, we show that GluA2-lacking, calcium-permeable AMPA receptors emerge following extended access oxycodone self-administration and forced abstinence in the nucleus accumbens core and shell subregions in male rats. Then, using intra-cranial pharmacological inactivation of these receptors, we can reduce the time-dependent intensification ("incubation") of oxycodone seeking, similar to what is seen with other drugs of abuse. Important work demonstrating a conserved mechanism by which multiple different drugs of abuse produce intensified drug craving. Very thankful for all those who contributed, especially the two North Central student co-authors Ben Wong (‘20) and Alexa Zimbelman (‘19)! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/42449c7a-2605-4c71-b282-8a065fee3637/tempImageYLk1rg.jpg News Dr. Stefanik awarded College honor for distinguished teaching. August 2022: Dr. Stefanik was awarded the 2022 North Central College Distinguished Teaching Award for Junior Faculty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1e785615-20df-4c5b-8b9c-a3aadf0fff55/Image+from+iOS+%281%29.jpg News Megan Vogel (‘22) wins 2nd place at Chicago SFN meeting. March 2022: Senior Behavioral Neuroscience major Megan Vogel took home the 2nd place prize in the undergraduate poster competition at the annual Chicago Society for Neuroscience meeting. Her thesis project “Ketamine-aided forced abstinence reduces incubation of oxycodone craving in male Sprague-Dawley rats” was supported by a Richter Grant. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/8f6c67c9-aacc-4467-86ce-4122b0e19da2/3E92DD90-7E80-48AB-B706-013AC11D85A7_1_105_c.jpg News - Itzel Soriano (‘22) and Maria Zarate (‘22) each awarded “Top 25 Abstracts” at LSMRCE conference. September 2021: Both Itzel’s and Maria’s abstracts for their thesis work were selected as “Top 25 Abstracts” from more than 700 attendees at the recent Louis Stokes Midwest Regional Center for Excellence: Empowering Diverse STEM Innovators annual conference. Additionally, Maria took home the 4th place overall prize for the presentation of her work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1626290899237-HZBFMQKMBG380YK44NWC/IMG_6068.jpeg News - Ben Wong (‘21) named to Academic All-American First Team for second time. July 2021 : Ben Wong has been selected to the 2020-2021 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) NCAA Division III Academic All-America First Team, in recognition of his academic excellence and performance on the field. This is the second consecutive time he has received this prestigious award. Read more about it here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624902021560-Y0K6G7ANMJGPCWXCNZWJ/Staining+summer+2021.jpeg News - Summer Research 2021 begins! Eight summer research assistants will investigate the changes in neuronal activation during the incubation of oxycodone craving. Summer support for four of them generously supplied by the NCC Summer Undergraduate Research Program and an NSF PUMA-STEM grant! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624901448143-0G9O2FEJXUQ1NIXXU20D/FUN+2019+Chicago.jpeg News - Ben Wong (‘21) receives Mark A. Reid leadership award for the Class of 2021. May 2021: Ben was also named the Outstanding Major in Neuroscience for the class of 2021. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624901218845-3CO5CJIERGYW67B28EZI/Jacob+G.JPG News - Jacob Greenberg (‘22) receives Research Fulbright. April 2021: Jacob was awarded a research award from Fulbright Canada to study the effects of cannabinoids on sleep and breathing at the University of Alberta - Edmonton during the Summer 2021. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624901026680-WM3BZWQ57MH206MRHAM4/squad.jpg News - Alexa Zimbelman (‘20) awarded Outstanding Major in Neuroscience. May 2020: Alexa was selected as the top neuroscience student in the class of 2020. She completed research with both Drs. Gill and Stefanik during her time at NCC. Alexa will be starting a Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of Iowa in the lab of Dr. Ryan LaLumiere in the fall. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624900658120-OHP7Q1FN7K6NFARAZAWQ/Jordan+Nowlin.jpg News - Jordan Nowlin (‘21) selected for top behavioral neuroscience grant proposal in the nation. April 2020: Senior Jordan Nowlin’s thesis proposal '“Quantifying reactive astrogliosis following prolonged forced abstinence from oxycodone self-administration” was selected for the G. Andrew Mickley Award from Nu Rho Psi (the national neuroscience honor society) as the top behavioral neuroscience grant proposal. In addition, Jordan received a Nu Rho Psi research grant to support his work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624899789839-MFS5AJ5QAETXDMMQOWD8/Ben+ruining+science.jpeg News - Ben Wong (‘21) named to Academic All-American First Team. December 2019: Ben Wong has been selected to the 2019 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) NCAA Division III Academic All-America First Team, in recognition of his academic excellence. Read more about it here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624900302321-EZ5B5ED69JZ6E5168HPN/IMG_2162.jpeg News - Stefanik Lab begins… Summer 2019 marks the first round of experiments in the new Stefanik Lab! Seven summer research assistants included! https://stefaniklab.squarespace.com/the-hidden-curriculum-project daily 0.75 2026-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624911243650-G3DW7SKFCDHT2ETRA4Y7/Overlay+TOUCH+copy.jpg The Hidden Curriculum Project - Now taking ideas! We are currently in the idea-generating phase of this project. Is there something that you’d like to know about? Submit it below. (All responses are anonymous.) https://stefaniklab.squarespace.com/syllabus daily 0.75 2023-11-14 https://stefaniklab.squarespace.com/neur100 daily 0.75 2023-05-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1624903957384-9AD8A8IDX3B1ZLWDC7PG/Image%2Bfrom%2BiOS.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/c8952cb3-47ee-4664-9148-5fe183b0164a/9780134641362.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/2bd37ce6-dea9-4717-9309-0464e9968adf/71RDW9VZvAL.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/d3810d06-dc2b-404e-bcb8-8ad691fe9042/51eg%2BBb-qjL._AC_UF1000%2C1000_QL80_.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1683912944166-UUCT0D775GN1JQERL8OA/unsplash-image-k2Kcwkandwg.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1683913825646-YD61CQUL9Y1X7BIYDGDC/unsplash-image-iW_n3MqVVtU.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60130bd85b47f734009d868a/1683913844571-SCIJEAJJ9X8MY9FV8MZ8/unsplash-image-iISyBKOT2D0.jpg