Dr. Vidhya Kumaresan

Biography

Vidhya Kumaresan is an Assistant Professor at Boston University, affiliated with the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. She holds a PhD from the University of Rhode Island, where she also earned her MS, and received her BS from the University of Madras. Her primary area of expertise is in behavioral neuropharmacology, focusing on the neurobiological foundations of addiction. Dr. Kumaresan's current research investigates neuronal activity-dependent plasticity and its relevance to brain disorders, with a particular emphasis on understanding the neurobiological bases of addiction to psychostimulants. She employs novel techniques including cell-permeable peptides to disrupt protein-protein interactions in vivo, aiming to study ongoing behaviors associated with drug-induced neural plasticity. Dr. Kumaresan is dedicated to elucidating the cellular and molecular underpinnings of drug-induced behaviors and experiences related to relapse and stress, and her findings may be applicable to the treatment of brain dysfunctions including PTSD. Her research techniques encompass immunocytochemistry, western blots, operant conditioning, and site-specific intracranial microinjections involving pharmacological reagents and viral vectors.

Research Interests