Sally Jee - Current MD-PhD Student

My current work focuses on the interaction between chronic neuropathic pain and opioid use. In particular, I use a rat model of intravenous opioid self-administration to examine how the neural projection from the anterior cingulate cortex to the nucleus accumbens modulates the effect of pain on fentanyl-seeking behavior. My ultimate goal is to elucidate the relationship between pain and addiction, as well as identify novel therapeutic agents that can attenuate this relationship.

I received a B.A. in Neuroscience from Columbia University, where I explored the underlying mechanisms of action of fluoxetine by investigating the opioid system’s gene expression in the hippocampus. During my gap years at NYU School of Medicine, I examined neural circuits that underlie pain catastrophizing-like behaviors.

Outside the lab, I enjoy baking, reading fantasy novels, writing, and pet sitting for friends.