I study the structure and function of neural systems that regulate energy balance, neuroendocrine function and behavioral state in the mammalian brain. I am particularly interested in how neural circuits in the hypothalamus are organized, how they help control motivated behaviors and autonomic function, and how they respond to changes in nutrient status. A major goal of my laboratory is to map these circuits using atlas-based approaches.

• 2021 Award for Education in Neuroscience - Society for Neuroscience (11/11/2021)
• Outstanding Performance Award, 2021-2022 (Fall) - UTEP Office of Research and Sponsored Projects (09/16/2021)
• Faculty Research Mentoring Award - UTEP Graduate School (12/07/2020)
• Marshal of Faculty – College of Science - College of Science, UTEP (12/15/2019)
• Outstanding Performance Award, 2018–2019 (Spring) - UTEP Office of Research and Sponsored Projects (05/13/2019)
• Marshal of Students – College of Science - College of Science (12/15/2018)
• Official UTEP Nominee, 2019 Minnie Stevens Piper Professor Award - College of Science > UTEP Faculty Senate > UTEP Office of the Provost (11/16/2018)
• Outstanding Performance Award, 2018–2019 (Fall) - UTEP Office of Research and Sponsored Projects (09/20/2018)
• Student's Choice Award for Outstanding Teaching - Department of Biological Sciences (05/09/2017)
• Faculty Research Mentoring Award - UTEP College of Science/Graduate School (11/17/2015)
• Outstanding Performance Award, 2013-2014 - UTEP Office of Research and Sponsored Projects (09/23/2014)
• Outstanding Performance Award, 2013-2014 - UTEP Office of Research and Sponsored Projects (06/04/2014)
• Informal Personal Commendation - President Diana Natalicio (05/18/2014)
• Travel Fellowship - Winter Conference on Brain Research (01/01/2010-12/31/2010)
• NIH Mentored Research Scientist Development Award - National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidneys Disorders (NIDDK), NIH (01/01/2008-12/31/2008)
• Co-recipient, eSciences Funding Award from Microsoft Research - Microsoft Corporation (01/01/2004-12/31/2004)
• Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award - National Institute of Mental Health (01/01/2004-12/31/2004)
• Dean’s Dissertation Research Grant - Graduate Division, UC Riverside (01/01/2000-12/31/2000)
• Frances Marlatt Baugh Award for Outstanding Graduate Research - Division of Biomedical Sciences, UC Riverside (01/01/1998-12/31/1998)
• Outstanding Teaching Assistant of the Year - Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, UC Riverside (01/01/1998-12/31/1998)
• Graduate Student Research Award - Division of Biomedical Sciences, UC Riverside (01/01/1997-12/31/1997)
• Outstanding Teaching Assistant of the Year - Division of Biomedical Sciences, UC Riverside (01/01/1997-12/31/1997)
• James & Margaret Lesley Prize for Completed Original Research - Division of Biomedical Sciences, UC Riverside (01/01/1995-12/31/1995)

• Ph D in Neuroscience, University of California at Riverside (2002)
• MS in Biochemistry, University of California at Riverside (1996)
• BS in Biology, University of California at Riverside (1994)

• Other - (01/01/2023-12/31/2023). Arshad Khan. Ian Mendez. Laura O'Dell.

• Withdrawal from repeated nicotine vapor exposure increases somatic signs of physical dependence, anxiety-like behavior, and brain reward thresholds in adult male rats Neuropharmacology 240 (2023), Michelle Martinez, Veronika Espinoza, Valeria Garcia, Kevin P. Uribe, Kenichiro Negishi, Igor L. Estevao, Luis Carcoba, Laura E. O'Dell, Arshad Khan, Ian A. Mendez.
• Glycemic Challenge Is Associated with the Rapid Cellular Activation of the Locus Ceruleus and Nucleus of Solitary Tract: Circumscribed Spatial Analysis of Phosphorylated MAP Kinase Immunoreactivity Journal of Clinical Medicine 12 7 (2023), Geronimo P. Tapia, Lindsay J. Agostinelli, Sarah D. Chenausky , Jessica V. Salcido Padilla, Amy Alagh , Gabriel Si, Richard H. Thompson , Sivasai Balivada, Arshad Khan.
• Glycemic challenge is associated with the rapid cellular activation of the locus ceruleus and nucleus of solitary tract: Circumscribed spatial analysis of phosphorylated MAP kinase immunoreactivity Journal of Clinical Medicine 12 7 (2023), Geronimo P. Tapia, Lindsay J. Agostinelli, Sarah D. Chenausky, Jessica V. Salcido Padilla, Vanessa I. Navarro, Amy Alagh, Gabriel Si, Richard H. Thompson, Sivasai Balivada, Arshad M. Khan.
• Withdrawal from repeated nicotine vapor exposure increases somatic signs of physical dependence, anxiety-like behavior, and brain reward thresholds in adult male rats. (in press), Luis Carcoba, Laura E. O'Dell, Arshad Khan, Ian A. Mendez.
• A historical perspective on training students to create standardized maps of novel brain structure: Newly-uncovered resonances between past and present research-based neuroanatomy curricula Neuroscience Letters 759 (2021), Arshad M. Khan, Christina E. D'Arcy, Jeffrey Olimpo.
• Female rats display greater nicotine withdrawal-induced cellular activation of a central portion of the interpeduncular nucleus versus males: A study of Fos immunoreactivity within provisionally assigned interpeduncular subnuclei Drug and Alcohol Dependence 221 (2021), Felix Matos-Ocasio, Veronika E. Espinoza, Paola Correa-Alfonzo, Arshad M. Khan, Laura E. O'Dell.
• A historical perspective on training students to create standardized maps of novel brain structure: Newly-uncovered resonances between past and present research-based neuroanatomy curricula Neuroscience Letters 759 (2021), Arshad Khan, Christina E. D'Arcy, Jeffrey T. Olimpo.
• Age-associated Downregulation of GABAergic and Glutamatergic Synapse-related Gene Expression in the Rostral Ventrolateral Medulla of Male Rats FASEB JOURNAL 35 (2021), Sivasai Balivada, Hitesh Pawar, Geronimo Tapia, Arshad Khan, Michael Kenney.
• Overexpression of corticotropin-releasing factor in the nucleus accumbens enhances the reinforcing effects of nicotine in female versus male rats Neuropsychopharmacology (2020), Kevin P. Uribe, Victor L. Corres, Briana E. Pinales, Rodolfo J. Flores, Bryan Cruz, Zhiying Shan, Adriaan W. Bruijnzeel, Arshad M. Khan, Laura E. O'Dell.
• Distributions of hypothalamic neuron populations co-expressing tyrosine hydroxylase and the vesicular GABA transporter in the mouse The Journal of Comparative Neurology 528 11 (2020), Kenichiro Negishi, Mikayla A. Payant, Kayla S. Schumacker, Gabor Wittman, Rebecca M. Butler, Ronald M. Lechan, Harry W. Steinbusch, Arshad M. Khan, Melissa J. Chee.
• Overexpression of corticotropin-releasing factor in the nucleus accumbens enhances the reinforcing effects of nicotine in intact female versus male and ovariectomized female rats. Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology 45 2 (2020), Kevin P. Uribe, V L. Correa, B E. Pinales, R J. Flores, Bryan Cruz, Z Shan, A W. Bruijnzeel, Arshad Khan, Laura E. O'Dell.
• Cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes associated with student engagement in a novel brain chemoarchitecture mapping course-based undergraduate research experience Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education 18 1 (2019), Christina E. D'Arcy, Anais Martinez, Arshad M. Khan, Jeffrey Olimpo.

• Domestication Results in Physiologically Different Birds: Quantifying Muscle Fiber-Types of Wild, Game-Farm, and Hybrid Mallards (2024), Volume Portland, Oregon, NIcholas Enriquez, Arshad Khan, Sivasai Balivada, Philip Lavretsky.
• Hindbrain catecholaminergic and non-catecholaminergic neuronal populations rapidly recruited during glycemic challenge: A fluorescent cell-detecting deep learning model for high-throughput tabulation and atlas-based mapping (2022), Volume San Diego, CA, Geronimo P. Tapia, Alexandro Arnal, Sarah D. Chenausky, Jessica V. Salcido Padilla, Vanessa I. Navarro, Kenichiro Negishi, Sivasai Balivada, Olac Fuentes, Arshad Khan.
• Mapping brain cells and circuits controlling feeding behaviors to improve preclinical models of disease. (2022), Volume Seattle, Washington, Arshad Khan.
• Discovering the undiscovered country: Mapping brain cells and circuits controlling motivated behaviors for gene-directed targeting. (2022), Volume El Paso, Texas, Arshad Khan.
• Viral tracing of feeding control circuits (2019), Volume Ann Arbor, Michigan, Arshad Khan.
• Re-examining freshmen potential: Application of the CURE format to big data neuroanatomy problems (2019), Volume Minneapolis, MN, Christina E. D'Arcy, Arshad Khan, Jeffrey T. Olimpo.

• C06: Build-out of an Imaging and Behavioral Neuroscience Facility for Hispanic Health Disparities at UTEP
• IGNITE: Interdisciplinary Group for Neuroscience Investigation, Training & Education.
• DEVELOPMENT AND SEX DIFFERENTIATION OF CONTEXT FEAR NEURAL CIRCUITS
• UTEP PERSIST: UTEP Program to Educate and Retain Students In STEM Tracks