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)

• Brainwide projections of mouse dopaminergic zona incerta neurons The Journal of Comparative Neurology 533 3 (2025), Bianca S. Bono, Kenichiro Negishi, Yasmina Dumiaty, Monica S. Ponce-Ruiz, Titilayo C. Akinbode, Kayla S. Baker, C Duncan P. Spencer, Elizabeth Mejia, Marina Guirguis, Alex J. Hebert, Arshad Khan, Melissa J. Chee.
• Sympathetic innervation of interscapular brown adipose tissue is not a predominant mediator of OT-elicited reductions of body weight gain and adiposity in male diet-induced obese rats. Frontiers in Drug Delivery (2024), Melise M. Edwards, Ha K. Nguyen, Andrew D. Dodson, Adam J. Herbertson, Mackenzie K. Honeycutt, Jared D. Slattery, June R. Rambousek, Edison Tsui, Tami Wolden-Hanson, Tomas Wietecha, James L. Graham, Geronimo P. Tapia, Carl Sikkema, Kevin D. O'Brien, Thomas O. Mundinger, Elaine R. Peskind, Vitaly Ryu, Peter J. Havel, Arshad Khan, Gerald J. Taborsky, James E. Blevins.
• Chemoarchitectural studies of the rat hypothalamus and zona incerta. Chemopleth 1.0, a downloadable interactive Brain Maps spatial database of five co-visualizable neurochemical systems, with novel-feature- and grid-based mapping tools. BioRxiv [Preprint] (2024), Vanessa I. Navarro, Alexandro Arnal, Eduardo Peru, Sivasai Balivada, Alejandro R. Toccoli, Diana Sotelo, Olac Fuentes, Arshad Khan.
• Topographic organization of bidirectional connections between the cingulate region (infralimbic area and anterior cingulate area, dorsal part) and the interbrain (diencephalon) of the adult male rat. BioRxiv [Preprint] (2024), Kenichiro Negishi, Laura P. Montes, Vanessa I. Navarro, Lidice Soto Arzate, Cindy Oliveros, Arshad Khan.
• 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.

• Architecture of the putative adrenergic system in the medulla oblongata: Mesoscale comparison of the phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase-immunoreactive morphological features between 2-D high-resolution transverse maps and 3-D volume visualizations. (2024), Volume Chicago, Sivasai Balivada, Geronimo P. Tapia, Jessica Salcido Padilla, Vanessa I. Navarro, Madison L. Quintana, Michael Kenney, Arshad Khan.
• Evaluating suitable proxies for Nissl staining to identify rat hypothalamic cytoarchitecture in light sheet fluorescent microscopy: the region-defining ability of Neuronal Nuclei (NeuN) in 3-D. (2024), Volume Chicago, Madison L. Quintana, Sivasai Balivada, Vanessa I. Navarro, Arshad Khan.
• Neural cartography of feeding control: Fine-scale spatial distributions of AgRP and alpha-MSH in the adult male rat brain. (2024), Volume Chicago, Ivanna Delgado, Olivia Kelly, Vanessa I. Navarro, Arshad Khan.
• Mapping forebrain circuits controlling motivated behaviors (2024), Volume Laramie, Wyoming, Arshad Khan.
• A resource to aid in viral-based targeting and interrogation of hypothalamic circuits in the rat: An interactive spatial database of five neurochemical systems in stereotaxic space. (2024), Volume Lewiston, Maine, Vanessa I. Navarro, Alexandro Arnal, Eduardo Peru, Sivasai Balivada, Alejandro R. Toccoli, Diana Sotelo, Olac Fuentes, Arshad Khan.

• Sex Differences and The Influence of Ovarian Hormones on the Mechanisms that Promote Nicotine Withdrawal
• 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