Melanie M. Pina, Ph.D.

Curriculum Vitae

Department of Pharmacology
University of North Carolina School of Medicine
CB# 7178 Thurston Bowles Building
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7178
(724) 388-6762
mpina@med.unc.edu

Education

Education
2010 2016 Ph.D., Behavioral Neuroscience
Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
Mentor: Dr. Christopher L. Cunningham
Dissertation: Regulation of ethanol seeking by the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the
ventral tegmental area: Evidence for a direct neural circuit

2000 2005 B.A., Summa Cum Laude, Psychology

Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Pennsylvania
Mentor: Dr. William M. Meil
Honors Thesis: The role of 5-HT1A receptors in cocaine-induced anxiety

Research Experience and Employment

2016 Postdoctoral Fellow, Pharmacology (Dr. Thomas Kash)

University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC

2010 2016 Graduate Research Assistant, Behavioral Neuroscience (Dr. Christopher Cunningham)
Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR

2007 2010 Research Specialist, Behavioral Physiology (Dr. Steven Manuck)

University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

2006 2007 Research Coordinator, Psychiatry (Dr. Mario Cruz)

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA

2005 2006 Case Aide, Family Matters Resource Group, LLC, New York, NY

2003 2004 Undergraduate Research Assistant, Biopsychology (Dr. William Meil)

Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA

2002 2004 Supplemental Instructor/Tutor, Psychology

Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA

Funding

Neurobiology of Disease Fellowship, OHSU Brain Institute 01/01/2015 12/31/2015

Supports Ph.D. students working on disease-related neuroscience research.

T32 AA007468 PI: Phillips (Pina Predoctoral Fellow) 07/01/2014 12/31/2014

Biological Bases of Alcoholism
Provides support for pre- and post-doctoral fellows to conduct research in the field of alcohol abuse. A major
goal is to provide fellows with funding to further progress for treatment and prevention of alcohol use disorder.

Vertex Scholarship, OHSU-Vertex Educational Partnership Program 07/01/2013 06/30/2014

Funded by the biotechnology company, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, this one-year award provides support to
Ph.D. candidates in the School of Medicine at OHSU.
T32 AA007468 PI: Phillips (Pina Predoctoral Fellow) 04/01/2013 06/30/2013
Biological Bases of Alcoholism
Provides support for pre- and post-doctoral fellows to conduct research in the field of alcohol abuse. A major
goal is to provide fellows with funding to further progress for treatment and prevention of alcohol use disorder.

R01 AA007702-DS PI: Cunningham (Pina Predoctoral Fellow) 07/18/2011 03/31/2013

Modulation of Alcohol Reinforcement - Diversity Supplement (NIAAA)

T32 DA007262 PI: Neve (Pina Predoctoral Fellow) 06/21/2010 06/20/2011

Biological Bases of Drug Seeking Behavior
Provides support for pre- and post-doctoral training in preclinical research on the biological mechanisms
underlying the development, maintenance, and elimination of drug-seeking behavior.

Academic and Professional Honors

2016 Best Graduate Student Paper Award, OHSU Dept. of Behavioral Neuroscience ($500)
2016 Resko Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award, OHSU School of Medicine ($500)
2016 Student Merit Award, Research Society on Alcoholism ($125)
2015 Enoch Gordis Research Recognition Award, Research Society on Alcoholism ($2,000)
2015 Student Merit Award, Research Society on Alcoholism ($150)
2015 Travel Award, OHSU Graduate Student Organization ($500)
2014 Graduate Research Grant, Psi Chi Honor Society ($1,500)
2014 Neurobiology of Disease Fellowship, OHSU Brain Institute ($31,500)
2014 Dissertation Research Award, American Psychological Association ($1,000)
2014 Student Poster Award, Pavlovian Society Annual Meeting ($500)
2014 N.L. Tartar Trust Fellowship ($2,000)
2013 Institutional T32 Predoctoral Research Training Grant, NIAAA
2014 Speaker, IUP Psychology Department Commencement Ceremony
2013 Vertex Scholar Award, OHSU-Vertex Partnership ($35,000)
2013 Travel Award, NIAAA Training Directors Meeting ($2,000)
2013 Institutional T32 Predoctoral Research Training Grant, NIAAA
2012 Best Poster Presentation, OHSU Student Research Forum ($75)
2011 2013 Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research, NIAAA ($39,500)
2011 Student Merit Award, Research Society on Alcoholism ($125)
2010 2013 Scholar Award, ARCS Foundation, Portland Chapter ($18,000)
2010 2011 Institutional T32 Predoctoral Research Training Grant, NIDA
2005 Summa Cum Laude for B.A. Honors Psychology, IUP
2005 Inducted into Delta Epsilon Iota Academic Honor Society
2003 Grant Recipient, IUP Research Committee ($500)
2003 Inducted into Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society
2002 2004 Provost Scholar Award, IUP
2002 2005 Inducted into Honors Program in Psychology, IUP
2002 Inducted into the Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology
2000 2005 Named Deans Scholar for all full-time terms enrolled, IUP

Publications

Vrajnkovic, O.*, Pina, M. M.*, Kash, T. K., & Winder, D. G. (2017). The Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis in
Drug-associated Behavior and Affect: A Circuit-Based Perspective.Submitted.
*denotes co-first authorship

Shields, C. N., Pina, M. M., & Cunningham, C. L. (2017). Synergistic effects of AMPA and NMDA receptors
during retrieval of ethanol-cue memories. In preparation.

Pina, M. M., Shields, C. N., & Cunningham, C. L. (2017). Chemogenetic inhibition of the lateral hypothalamus
disrupts ethanol place preference expression. In preparation.

Pina, M. M., & Cunningham, C. L. (2017). Noncontingent delivery of fixed and ascending dosing schedules
 and the development of ethanol seeking behavior. In preparation.

Pina, M. M., & Cunningham, C. L. (2017). Ethanol-seeking behavior is expressed directly through an extended
amygdala to midbrain neural circuit.* Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 137, 83-91. PMID: 27866960
*denotes featured article and cover art

Pina, M. M., & Cunningham, C. L. (2016). Involvement of ventral tegmental area ionotropic glutamate
receptors in the expression of ethanol conditioned place preference. Behavioral Brain Research, 313, 23
29. PMID: 27378337

Pina, M. M. & Williams, A. R. (2016). Alcohol Cues, Craving, and Relapse: Insights from Animal Models. In W.
M. Meil & C. L. Ruby (Eds.) Recent Advances in Drug Addiction Research and Clinical Applications.
InTech.

Pina, M. M., Young, E. A., Ryabinin, A. E., & Cunningham, C. L., (2015). The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis
regulates ethanol-seeking behavior in mice. Neuropharmacology, 99, 627638. PMID: 26302652

Cunningham, C. L., & Pina, M. M. (2015). Alcohol preference tests. In I. Stolerman & L. H. Price
(Eds.), Encyclopedia of psychopharmacology, Part 1 (2nd edition). (pp. 79-83). Berlin
Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag.

Pina, M. M., & Cunningham, C. L. (2014). Effects of the novel cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist PF
514273 on the acquisition and expression of ethanol conditioned place preference. Alcohol, 48(5), 427
431. PMID: 24954022

Pina, M. M., & Cunningham, C. L. (2014). Effects of dopamine receptor antagonists on the acquisition of
ethanol-induced conditioned place preference in mice. Psychopharmacology, 231(3), 459468. PMID:
24005528

Abstracts and Posters

Pina, M. M., Pati, D., Hwa, L. S., & Kash, T. K. (2017). Adaptations in the insular cortex following intermittent
access to alcohol. Abstracts-Posters. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, In progress.

Pina, M. M., Shields, C. N., & Cunningham, C. L. (2016). Lateral hypothalamus inhibition reduces ethanol
place preference expression. Abstracts-Posters. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 40:
204A.
Pina, M. M., & Cunningham, C. L. (2015). An extended amygdala to ventral tegmental area circuit underlies
ethanol-seeking behavior in mice. Program No. 634.15. Neuroscience 2015 Abstracts. Chicago, IL:
Society for Neuroscience, 2015. Online.

Pina, M. M., & Cunningham, C.L. (2015). Ethanol-seeking behavior is expressed directly through an extended
amygdala to midbrain neural circuit. Pavlovian Society Annual Meeting, September 2015, Portland, OR.

Pina, M. M., Young, E.A & Cunningham C. L. (2015) Regulation of ethanol conditioned place preference by the
bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Abstracts-Posters. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research,
39: 53A.

Pina, M. M. & Cunningham, C. L. (2014). Ionotropic glutamate receptor activity within the ventral tegmental
area is required for the expression of ethanol conditioned place preference. Program No. 265.01.
Neuroscience 2014 Abstracts. Washington, DC. Online.

Pina, M. M. & Cunningham, C. L. Chemogenetic inactivation of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis disrupts
ethanol conditioned place preference. Pavlovian Society Annual Meeting, September 2014, Seattle, WA.

Pina, M. M. & Cunningham, C. L. (2014) Activation of ventral tegmental area ionotropic glutamate receptors is
required for ethanol-conditioned place preference expression. Abstracts-Posters. Alcoholism: Clinical and
Experimental Research, 38: 83A.
Cunningham, C. L., Pina, M. M.*, & Young, E. A. (2013). Role of dopamine receptor subtypes in ethanol-
induced conditioned place preference. Abstracts-Symposia. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental
Research, 37: 305A. *(gave oral presentation)

Pina, M. M., & Cunningham, C. L. (2013). Effects of increasing versus fixed dosing on the acquisition of drug-
induced conditioned place preference in mice. Abstracts-Posters. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental
Research, 37: 228A.

Pina, M. M., & Cunningham, C. L. Role of dopamine D1 receptors in ethanol reward. SACNAS, October 2012,
Seattle, WA.

Pina, M. M., & Cunningham, C. L. (2012). Dopamine D1 but not D2 receptor blockade impairs the
development of ethanol-conditioned place preference. Abstracts-Posters. Alcoholism: Clinical &
Experimental Research, 36: 193A.

Pina, M. M., & Cunningham, C. L. Systemic blockade of dopamine D1 but not D2 receptors impairs the
development of ethanol-conditioned place preference. OHSU Student Research Forum, May 2012,
Portland, OR.

Pina, M. M., & Cunningham, C. L. (2011). Effects of CB1 receptor antagonism on ethanol-induced conditioned
place preference in mice. Abstracts-Posters. Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, 35: 244A.

Pina, M. M., & Cunningham, C. L. Effects of CB1 receptor antagonism on ethanol-induced conditioned place
preference. OHSU Student Research Forum, May 2011, Portland, OR.

Oral Presentations

Symposium presentation: Role of dopamine receptor subtypes in ethanol-induced conditioned place

preference, Symposium on Learning to drink: the role of dopamine and its receptors in alcohol
consumption and conditioned alcohol-seeking, Research Society on Alcoholism 36th Annual Meeting,
Orlando, FL; June 26, 2013.

Workshop presentation: Involvement of dopamine receptor subfamilies in ethanol reward, NIAAA Training
Directors Meeting and Trainee Workshop, San Diego, CA; October 18, 2013.

Scholar Award presentation: Dopaminergic and glutamatergic mechanisms of ethanol reward and seeking,
Inaugural Vertex Scholars Day; Cambridge, MA; December 4, 2013.

Workshop presentation: Modulation of ethanol-associated cue seeking by the bed nucleus of the stria
terminalis, NIDA/NIAAA Training Grant Retreat; Portland, OR; February 6, 2015.
Session Presentation: Ethanol-induced conditioned place preference is regulated by the bed nucleus of the
stria terminalis, OHSU Research Week; Portland, OR; May 7, 2015.

Enoch Gordis Research Recognition Award: Regulation of ethanol conditioned place preference by the bed
nucleus of the stria terminalis, Research Society on Alcoholism 38th Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX;
June 21 2015.

Professional Service and Other Experience

Scientific Review
2015 Ad-hoc Reviewer, Behavioural Brain Research
2015 Ad-hoc Reviewer, Behavioral Neuroscience
2015 Ad-hoc Reviewer, Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior
2016 Ad-hoc Reviewer, Biological Psychiatry
2016 Ad-hoc Reviewer, Journal of Psychopharmacology
2016 Ad-hoc Reviewer, Neuroscience Letters
2016 Ad-hoc Reviewer, Physiology & Behavior
Mentoring
2016 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Responsible for training and supervising undergraduate research volunteers

2012 2016 Oregon Health & Science University

I was responsible for training rotating graduate students and research assistants in basic and advanced
behavioral and molecular methodologies. I also provided training on an as-need basis to graduate students
and postdoctoral fellows from various departments in stereotaxic surgery, microinfusions,
immunohistochemistry, circuit tracing, fluorescence microscopy, and viral-mediated gene transfer.

2013 2015 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)

I served as mentor on a high school students research project: A Novel Animal Model to Replicate Alcohol-
Seeking Behavior in Humans. The student received 3rd place at ISEF 2015 in the Behavioral and Social
Science Category and an honorable mention special award presented by NIDA.

2012 2014 Portland State University; Undergraduate Volunteer Mentor

2013 Caitlin Gabel Upper School; Advanced Biology Project Mentor

Volunteer & Outreach

2014 OHSU Summer Equity Research Program, Panel Speaker
2013 2014 ARCS Foundation Portland Chapter, Event Speaker and Lab Host
2012 SACNAS, OHSU Graduate Student Representative and Presenter
2011 2013 OHSU Student Research Forum, Events Volunteer

Professional Memberships

2014 Member, Women in Learning

2014 Member, Pavlovian Society
2013 Member, American Psychological Association
2013 Member, Society for Neuroscience
2012 Member, SACNAS
2011 Member, Research Society on Alcoholism
2005 Member, Delta Epsilon Iota Academic Honor Society
2003 Member, Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society
2002 2005 Student Affiliate, American Psychological Association
2002 2003 Secretary, Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology
2002 Member, Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology