Erik Garcia, PhD
- Assistant Professor
- Psychology and Neuroscience
- Allwine Hall 419D
Additional Information
Teaching
Introduction to Neuroscience I
Introduction to Neuroscience II
Superheroes, Zombies, Cyborgs, and Droids: A Neuroscience Perspective
Neuropharmacology
Neural Mechanisms of Substance Use
Advanced Behavioral Neuroscience
Education
Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Center for Addiction Research, 2017-2021, Neuropharmacology of Substance Use Disorders
M.S., Ph.D., Kansas State University, 2011-2017, Experimental Psychology Behavioral Neuroscience
B.S., Colorado State University, 2010, Psychology
Research
Dr. Erik Garcia is a behavioral neuroscientist and neuropharmacologist. His research is at the intersection of psychology, neuroscience, and neuropharmacology. Most broadly, he aims to understand individual-level predictors that govern the transition to compulsive drug use and identify the traits that contribute to the development of substance use disorders. He employs preclinical models and the principles of operant and Pavlovian conditioning to model human substance use to reveal the neurobiological mechanisms that drive the development of substance use. His latest research focuses on opioid use disorder and novel medication development within a behavioral economic framework to rapidly characterize therapeutic candidates. Dr. Garcia aims to bridge the gap between preclinical discoveries and meaningful clinical outcomes to aid people in their path toward substance use recovery. Most importantly, I am a firm believer and advocate for diversity, inclusion, and mentoring scientists. Please contact me about opportunities to work and contribute to the lab.
Publications
†Denotes equal contribution
†Merritt, C. R., †Garcia, E. J., Brehm, V. D., Fox, R. G., Moeller, F. G., Anastasio, N. C., & Cunningham, K. A. (2023) Ghrelin receptor antagonist JMV2959 blunts cocaine and oxycodone drug-seeking, but not self-administration, in male rats. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 10.3389/fphar.2023.1268366. PMID: 37795028
†Chen, J., †Garcia, E. J., Merritt, C. R., Zamora, J. C., Bolinger, A. A., Pazdrak, K., Stafford, S. J., Mifflin, R. C., Wold., E. A., Wild, C. T., Haiying, C., Anastasio, A. C., Cunningham, K. A., & Zhou, J. (2023) Discovery of Novel Oleamide Analogues as Brain-Penetrant Positive Allosteric Serotonin 5-HT2C Receptor and Dual 5-HT2C/5-HT2A Receptor Modulators. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00908. PMID: 37462530
Garcia, E. J., & Cain, M. E. (2021) A vulnerable phenotype: Isolation housing augments context and cued amphetamine seeking through nucleus accumbens glutamate receptors after prolonged abstinence. European Journal of Neuroscience, https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.15441. PMID: 34481424
†Wold, E. A., †Garcia, E. J., †Wild, C. T., Miszkiel, J. M., Soto, C. A., Chen, J., Pazdrak, K., Fox, R. G., Anastasio, N. C., Cunningham, K. A., & Zhou, J. (2020) Discovery of 4-phenylpiperidine-2-carboxamide analogues as serotonin 5-HT2C receptor positive allosteric modulators with enhanced drug-like properties. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01953. PMID: 32567857
Garcia, E. J. & Cain, M. E. (2020). Environmental enrichment and a selective metabotropic glutamate receptor2/3 (mGluR2/3) agonist suppress amphetamine self-administration: Characterizing baseline differences. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior, doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2020.172907. PMID 32179027
Arndt, D. L., Wukitsch, T. J., Garcia, E. J., & Cain, M. E. (2019). Histone deacetylase inhibition differentially attenuates cue-induced reinstatement: An interaction of environment and acH3K9 expression in the dorsal striatum. Behavioral Neuroscience, doi: 10.1037/bne0000333. PMID 31343201
Garcia, E. J., Arndt, D. L., & Cain, M. E. (2019). Dynamic interactions of ceftriaxone and environmental variables suppress amphetamine seeking. Brain Research, doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2019.01.044. PMID 30716289
Garcia, E. J., Haddon, T., Saucier, D. A., & Cain, M. E. (2017). Differential housing and novelty response: Protection and risk from locomotor sensitization. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior, 154, 20-30. 10.1016/j.pbb.2017.01.004. PMID 28108176
Garcia, E. J., Jorgensen, E., Sprick, L., & Cain, M. E. (2017). Voluntary ethanol consumption changes ultrasonic vocalizations but not novelty response. Behavioural Brain Research, 320, 186-194. 10.1016/j.bbr.2016. 12.004. PMID 27956212
Garcia, E. J., & Cain, M. E. (2016). Novelty response and 50 kHz ultrasonic vocalizations: Differential prediction of locomotor and affective response to amphetamine in Sprague-Dawley rats. Psychopharmacology, 233, 625-637. PMID 26564232
Garcia, E. J., McCowan, T. J., & Cain, M. E. (2015). Harmonic and frequency modulated ultrasonic vocalizations reveal differences in conditioned and unconditioned reward processing. Behavioural Brain Research, 287, 207-214. PMID 2582793
CHAPTERS, COMMENTARIES, and REVIEWS
Garcia, E. J., (2017). Why I’m not a cognitive psychologist…or a behaviorist…or a biologist. ACS Chemical Neuroscience, 10.1021/acschemneuro.7b00316. PMID 28862423
Additional Information
Teaching
Introduction to Neuroscience I
Introduction to Neuroscience II
Superheroes, Zombies, Cyborgs, and Droids: A Neuroscience Perspective
Neuropharmacology
Neural Mechanisms of Substance Use
Advanced Behavioral Neuroscience
Education
Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Center for Addiction Research, 2017-2021, Neuropharmacology of Substance Use Disorders
M.S., Ph.D., Kansas State University, 2011-2017, Experimental Psychology Behavioral Neuroscience
B.S., Colorado State University, 2010, Psychology
Research
Dr. Erik Garcia is a behavioral neuroscientist and neuropharmacologist. His research is at the intersection of psychology, neuroscience, and neuropharmacology. Most broadly, he aims to understand individual-level predictors that govern the transition to compulsive drug use and identify the traits that contribute to the development of substance use disorders. He employs preclinical models and the principles of operant and Pavlovian conditioning to model human substance use to reveal the neurobiological mechanisms that drive the development of substance use. His latest research focuses on opioid use disorder and novel medication development within a behavioral economic framework to rapidly characterize therapeutic candidates. Dr. Garcia aims to bridge the gap between preclinical discoveries and meaningful clinical outcomes to aid people in their path toward substance use recovery. Most importantly, I am a firm believer and advocate for diversity, inclusion, and mentoring scientists. Please contact me about opportunities to work and contribute to the lab.
Publications
†Denotes equal contribution
†Merritt, C. R., †Garcia, E. J., Brehm, V. D., Fox, R. G., Moeller, F. G., Anastasio, N. C., & Cunningham, K. A. (2023) Ghrelin receptor antagonist JMV2959 blunts cocaine and oxycodone drug-seeking, but not self-administration, in male rats. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 10.3389/fphar.2023.1268366. PMID: 37795028
†Chen, J., †Garcia, E. J., Merritt, C. R., Zamora, J. C., Bolinger, A. A., Pazdrak, K., Stafford, S. J., Mifflin, R. C., Wold., E. A., Wild, C. T., Haiying, C., Anastasio, A. C., Cunningham, K. A., & Zhou, J. (2023) Discovery of Novel Oleamide Analogues as Brain-Penetrant Positive Allosteric Serotonin 5-HT2C Receptor and Dual 5-HT2C/5-HT2A Receptor Modulators. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00908. PMID: 37462530
Garcia, E. J., & Cain, M. E. (2021) A vulnerable phenotype: Isolation housing augments context and cued amphetamine seeking through nucleus accumbens glutamate receptors after prolonged abstinence. European Journal of Neuroscience, https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.15441. PMID: 34481424
†Wold, E. A., †Garcia, E. J., †Wild, C. T., Miszkiel, J. M., Soto, C. A., Chen, J., Pazdrak, K., Fox, R. G., Anastasio, N. C., Cunningham, K. A., & Zhou, J. (2020) Discovery of 4-phenylpiperidine-2-carboxamide analogues as serotonin 5-HT2C receptor positive allosteric modulators with enhanced drug-like properties. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01953. PMID: 32567857
Garcia, E. J. & Cain, M. E. (2020). Environmental enrichment and a selective metabotropic glutamate receptor2/3 (mGluR2/3) agonist suppress amphetamine self-administration: Characterizing baseline differences. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior, doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2020.172907. PMID 32179027
Arndt, D. L., Wukitsch, T. J., Garcia, E. J., & Cain, M. E. (2019). Histone deacetylase inhibition differentially attenuates cue-induced reinstatement: An interaction of environment and acH3K9 expression in the dorsal striatum. Behavioral Neuroscience, doi: 10.1037/bne0000333. PMID 31343201
Garcia, E. J., Arndt, D. L., & Cain, M. E. (2019). Dynamic interactions of ceftriaxone and environmental variables suppress amphetamine seeking. Brain Research, doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2019.01.044. PMID 30716289
Garcia, E. J., Haddon, T., Saucier, D. A., & Cain, M. E. (2017). Differential housing and novelty response: Protection and risk from locomotor sensitization. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior, 154, 20-30. 10.1016/j.pbb.2017.01.004. PMID 28108176
Garcia, E. J., Jorgensen, E., Sprick, L., & Cain, M. E. (2017). Voluntary ethanol consumption changes ultrasonic vocalizations but not novelty response. Behavioural Brain Research, 320, 186-194. 10.1016/j.bbr.2016. 12.004. PMID 27956212
Garcia, E. J., & Cain, M. E. (2016). Novelty response and 50 kHz ultrasonic vocalizations: Differential prediction of locomotor and affective response to amphetamine in Sprague-Dawley rats. Psychopharmacology, 233, 625-637. PMID 26564232
Garcia, E. J., McCowan, T. J., & Cain, M. E. (2015). Harmonic and frequency modulated ultrasonic vocalizations reveal differences in conditioned and unconditioned reward processing. Behavioural Brain Research, 287, 207-214. PMID 2582793
CHAPTERS, COMMENTARIES, and REVIEWS
Garcia, E. J., (2017). Why I’m not a cognitive psychologist…or a behaviorist…or a biologist. ACS Chemical Neuroscience, 10.1021/acschemneuro.7b00316. PMID 28862423