Associate Professor of Biology
Director, Thomas More Honors Program
Phone Number: 203-371-7785
E-mail: descheness@sacredheart.edu
Area of Specialization: Genetics/Molecular Biology
Description of Research Interest: The broad aim of Dr. Deschênes' research, performed in collaboration with Dr. Mindy Miserendino in the Psychology Department here at SHU, is to characterize in rats the modulating effects of enriched or stressful environments on the behavior and brain reward regions of rats chronically exposed to drugs of addiction. Dr. Deschênes' laboratory is focusing on measuring changes in the expression of genes in brain reward regions following chronic adminsitration of addictive drugs, as well as examining any epigenetic changes in these genes' promoters, such as changes in DNA methylation and/or histone modifications. Techniques used in this work include DNA and RNA isolation, gel electrophoresis, cDNA production, PCR, real-time PCR, and chromatin immunoprecipitation.
Primary Teaching Responsibilities:
BI 220/BI 221 Genetics Lecture & Lab
BI 235 Principles of Biotechnology
BI 111/113; BI 112/114 Concepts in Biology I, II
BICC 103 The Human Community & Scientific Discovery
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