Jennifer J. Tuscher, PhD

Dr. Jennifer Tuscher joined the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the Medical College of Wisconsin in December of 2023. Prior to joining the faculty at MCW, Dr. Tuscher completed her postdoctoral work under the mentorship of Dr. Jeremy Day at the University of Alabama Birmingham, where she investigated cell-type specific transcriptional changes that arise after drug experience and withdrawal. Dr. Tuscher received her MS and PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee working in the lab of Dr. Karyn Frick, where she examined the cell-signaling pathways engaged by estradiol in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex to drive spinogenesis and facilitate memory. She completed her BS in biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

• Neuroendocrine regulation of memory
• Behavioral pharmacology
• Transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms of Substance Use Disorders (Cocaine, Opioids)
• Glial contribution to SUDs
• CRISPR-based gene and epigenetic editing

The Tuscher Lab is currently focused on investigating the neurobiological basis of memory persistence and how sex-steroid hormones shape this process. Dr. Tuscher’s experimental approach integrates transcriptomics, chromatin dynamics, neuropharmacology, immunohistochemistry, cell culture model systems and behavioral assays to uncover the mechanisms that support neuroplasticity and memory. In the context of adaptive memory, this work centers on cell-type specific mechanisms for bolstering neuroplasticity and promoting the long-term storage of beneficial memories. In the context of maladaptive memory, these approaches offer insights into the neurobiological mechanisms that contribute to the development and maintenance of substance use disorders, and provide a foundation for developing targeted therapeutic interventions. Please check out the Tuscher Lab website for additional information.