Casey Vickstrom, PhD

I am interested in molecular and systems-level neuroscience, in particular in the context of neurobiological pathophysiology.

Research Experience

Medical College of Wisconsin, 2016-2020
Advisor: Qing-song Liu, PhD
Project: Endocannabinoid regulation of a septohabenular circuit in anxiety and depression (F30MH115536)

Northwestern University, 2012-2014
Advisor: Dr. Geoffrey Kansas
Project: I studied the molecular mechanisms of cell extravasation from blood vessels, with a focus on selectin:selectin ligand interactions in the mechanism of small cell lung cancer metastasis.

Publications

Vickstrom CR, Snarrenberg ST, Friedman V, Liu QS. Application of optogenetics and in vivo imaging approaches for elucidating the neurobiology of addiction. Mol Psychiatry. 2021 Jun 18. doi: 10.1038/s41380-021-01181-3. Online ahead of print. PMID: 34145393

Vickstrom CR, Liu X, Liu S, Hu MM, Mu L, Hu Y, Yu H, Love SL, Hillard CJ, Liu QS. Role of endocannabinoid signaling in a septohabenular pathway in the regulation of anxiety- and depressive-like behavior. Mol Psychiatry. 2020 Oct 22. doi: 10.1038/s41380-020-00905-1. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33093652.

Vickstrom CR, Liu X, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Mu L, Kelly TJ, Yan X, Hu MM, Snarrenberg ST, Liu QS (2020). T-type calcium channels contribute to burst firing in a subpopulation of medial habenula neurons [published online ahead of print, 2020 Jul 27]. eNeuro. 2020, PMID: 32719103

Zhong P, Vickstrom CR, Liu X, Hu Y, Yu L, Yu HG & Liu QS. HCN2 channels in the ventral tegmental area regulate behavioral responses to chronic stress. eLife 7, e32420 (2018).

Tong J, Liu X, Vickstrom CR, Li Y, Yu L, Lu Y, Smrcka AV & Liu QS. The Epac-Phospholipase Cepsilon Pathway Regulates Endocannabinoid Signaling and Cocaine-Induced Disinhibition of Ventral Tegmental Area Dopamine Neurons. J Neurosci 37, 3030-3044 (2017).

Liu X, Zhong P, Vickstrom CR, Li Y & Liu QS. PDE4 Inhibition Restores the Balance Between Excitation and Inhibition in VTA Dopamine Neurons Disrupted by Repeated In Vivo Cocaine Exposure. Neuropsychopharmacology 42, 1991-1999 (2017).

Liu X, Li Y, Yu L, Vickstrom CR & Liu QS. VTA mTOR Signaling Regulates Dopamine Dynamics, Cocaine-Induced Synaptic Alterations, and Reward. Neuropsychopharmacology (2017).

Liu X, Chen Y, Vickstrom CR, Li Y, Viader A, Cravatt BF & Liu QS. Coordinated regulation of endocannabinoid-mediated retrograde synaptic suppression in the cerebellum by neuronal and astrocytic monoacylglycerol lipase. Sci Rep 6, 35829 (2016).

Chen Y, Liu X, Vickstrom CR, Liu MJ, Zhao L, Viader A, Cravatt BF & Liu QS. Neuronal and Astrocytic Monoacylglycerol Lipase Limit the Spread of Endocannabinoid Signaling in the Cerebellum. eNeuro 3(2016).

Meeting Abstracts

Vickstrom CR, Snarrenberg ST, Friedman V, Liu QS. Application of optogenetics and in vivo imaging approaches for elucidating the neurobiology of addiction. Mol Psychiatry. 2021 Jun 18. doi: 10.1038/s41380-021-01181-3. Online ahead of print. PMID: 34145393

General Interests

Soccer, basketball, skiing, music