Robert Aukema, PhD

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Robert Aukema, PhD, is a postdoctoral researcher in the Ressler lab where he is interested in studying the anatomy and function of the basolateral amygdala. In particular, he is interested in understanding the molecular identity of stress-responsive neurons and how prior stress exposure can influence the development of enhanced or persistent fear memory. He is grateful for the Jonathan Edward Brooking Mental Health Research Scholar Award for supporting his training.

He earned his undergraduate (B.Sc.) at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, where he was first introduced to neuroscience working in Dr. Alfonso Abizaid’s lab studying the role of ghrelin on stress-related behaviours and metabolism. Rob then did his PhD training in Dr. Matthew Hill’s laboratory at the University of Calgary, Canada, where he studied the spatial, temporal, and circuit-specific patterns of activation of basolateral amygdala neurons during exposure to stress.