St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) student Brooke Steinhoff ’19, was selected to receive a research grant by Beta Beta Beta to support her SMP in Psychology under the mentorship of Dr. Aileen Bailey. Beta Beta Beta (TriBeta) is an honor society for undergraduates dedicated to enhancing and improving not only the understanding but the appreciation of biological study through experimental research.
Steinhoff’s study aims to evaluate the effects of direct infusions of L-655,708 into the medial prefrontal cortex utilizing an animal model of depression. The study animals will be given various behavioral tests including the sucrose preference test, social interaction test, open field test, and novelty suppressed feeding test. Steinhoff believes that L-655,708 will have an antidepressant-like effect when infused directly into the medial prefrontal cortex. All research involving vertebrate animals must be approved by the St. Mary’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.
Steinhoff is a biology major and neuroscience minor, and is conducting this study jointly with biochemistry major and neuroscience minor, Katie Robey ’19. More information about this collaborative research can be found on the Current Sponsored Research tab of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs webpage.
This article was written by St. Mary’s College of Maryland student and Office of Research and Sponsored Programs Fellow Mackenzie Brooks ’21.