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Steve Maren is a behavioral neuroscientist specializing in the neurobiology of learning and memory. He has made key discoveries in uncovering the neurobiological basis of emotional learning and memory, particularly focusing on memories of fearful experiences. His contributions have driven new empirical and theoretical work in the field, laying the foundational understanding of basic synaptic circuit mechanisms underlying both normal and pathological fear memories. His primary research interests include neural systems of emotion, learning, and memory; contextual regulation of memory encoding and retrieval; and understanding fear, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Maren's Emotion Memory Systems Laboratory aims to understand the brain circuits and cellular mechanisms involved in encoding, storage, retrieval, and extinction of aversive memories, particularly dysfunctions in these circuits that contribute to anxiety disorders. His research employs various methodologies, including calcium imaging, in vivo electrophysiology, and chemo-optogenetics, to unravel the neurobiology of fear conditioning and extinction processes. He holds several prestigious awards, including the American Psychological Association Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution and the D. O. Hebb Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award. Maren has held faculty positions at respected institutions and returned to the University of Illinois in 2024 as a Professor in Psychology and Director of the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology.
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