Dr. Friedman joins UTEP after completing his post-doctoral training and working as a research scientist at MIT for 10 years. Dr. Friedman uniquely combines computation and the development of tools for big data analysis with behavioral physiology to study computation principles and underlying psychiatric and neurological disorders. Dr. Friedman earned his doctoral degree in brain physiology (summa cum laude) from Bar-llan University (BIU) in Israel. While at BIU, he developed deep brain stimulation methods to treat depression and addiction in rodent models. Dr. Friedman demonstrated the first evidence about the physiological role of the striosomal compartment of the striatum in decision-making, and how the striosomal activity and decision-making are affected by chronic stress, aging, and Huntington disorder. His work resulted in solving a 42-year old mystery that led him to publish three major publications in the Cell journal during his time as a post-doctoral researcher. Dr. Friedman continually works on the development of novel computational, electrophysiological, and optical methods to record and analyze neuronal ensembles. At MIT, he facilitated hands-on research engagement workshops for more than 50 undergraduate and graduate students where they were active participants and contributors while learning state-of-the-art techniques and computational methods. He is excited to undertake laboratory classes at UTEP where students can acquire the latest computational methods, physiological recording methods, and behavior physiology via active participation in the research. Dr. Friedman’s lab will uniquely combine the development of computational methods and physiological recording methods with the development of natural behavior assets to study disorders such as PTSD, addiction, chronic stress, and age-related disorders. Dr. Friedman is a member of the Society for Neuroscience and the Society of Biological Psychiatry. When he is not at work, he enjoys biking, hiking, and spending time with his children at the park. He also likes to get involved with the community by volunteering with organizations that serve elderly populations.

• Kavli Fellow, National Academy of Sciences - National Academy of Sciences (03/01/2023)

• Ph D in Brain Physiology, Bar-Ilan University (2010)

• Discovering the Lost Reward: Critical Locations for Endocannabinoid Modulation of the Cortico--Striatal Loop That Are Implicated in Major Depression International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22 4 (2021), Sari Goldstein Ferber, Aron Weller, Gal Yadid, Alexander Friedman.
• A role for α-Synuclein in axon growth and its implications in corticostriatal glutamatergic plasticity in Parkinson’s disease Molecular neurodegeneration/BioMed Central 15 (2020), Meir Schechter, Jessica Grigoletto, Suaad Abd-Elhadi, Hava Glickstein, Alexander Friedman, Geidy E. Serrano, Thomas G. Beach, Ronit Sharon.
• Spatiotemporal Up-Regulation of Mu Opioid Receptor 1 in Striatum of Mouse Model of Huntington’s Disease Differentially Affecting Caudal and Striosomal Regions Frontiers in Neuroanatomy 14 (2020), Ryoma Morigaki, Jannifer H. Lee, Tomoko Yoshida, W\"uthrich, Christian, Dan Hu, Jill R. Crittenden, Alexander Friedman, Yasuo Kubota, Ann M. Graybiel.
• Striosomes Mediate Value-Based Learning Vulnerable in Age and a Huntington’s Disease Model Cell 183 4 (2020), Alexander Friedman, Emily Hueske, Sabrina M. Drammis, Sebastian E. Arana, Erik D. Nelson, Cody W. Carter, Sebastien Delcasso, Raimundo X. Rodriguez, Hope Lutwak, Kaden S. DiMarco.

• Striosomal Compartment of Striatum Encode Expected Cost-Benefit Value (2023), Volume Sao Paulo, Brazil , July 2023, Alexander Friedman.
• Defining the mechanistic role of striosomal microcircuits in decision-making (2023), Volume Irvine, Alexander Friedman.
• An innovative system for assessing decision-making in an array of mental health disorders, psychological and sex differences (2021), Volume Cambridge, MA, Alexander Friedman.
• An innovative system for assessing decision-making in an array of mental health disorders, psychological and sex differences (2021), Volume Cambridge, MA, Alexander Friedman.
• Computational model of striosomal circuit in normal and disordered decision-making (2021), Volume Cambridge, MA, Alexander Friedman.

• Career: A2: Defining the mechanistic role of striosomal microcircuits in decision-making