Biography

Austin Boren is a Ph.D. Neuroscience student working under Dr. Rochelle Hines. He is currently working with a mouse model to investigate epilepsy as a common symptom of psychotic disorders. His primary interests lie in psychiatric disorder, addiction, and development and hopes to continue this line of research in academia.

Austin Boren

Curriculum Vitae

CONTACT INFORMATION

   Address:     3390 Racquet St

                        Las Vegas, Nevada 89121-1285

   Phone:         (775) 233-4060

   Email:          Austin.Boren@unlv.edu

EDUCATION

University of Nevada, Las Vegas; 2016-present

           Doctoral program, Experimental Psychology (Neuroscience)

           Expected graduation: 2022

University of Nevada Las, Vegas; 2014–2016 

           Bachelor of arts degree, psychology

           Graduation: December 2015    

           Psychology GPA: 3.7

           Overall GPA: 3.7

College of Southern Nevada; 2013–2014

           Area of study; psychology

           Transferred to University of Nevada, Las Vegas                                            

University of Nevada, Reno; 2006–2010

           Area of study; philosophy

           Transferred to College of Southern Nevada 

HONORS AND AWARDS

Dean’s Honor List, University of Nevada, Las Vegas; 2014–2015

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

University of Nevada, Las Vegas Hines Group Laboratory

            Fall 2017-Current

            Title: Graduate Student

            Faculty Advisor: Rochelle Hines Ph.D

            Responsibilities:

               -Murine electroencephalogram analysis.

               -Animal husbandry including; breeding, weaning, genotyping, and colony tracking. 

University of Nevada, Las Vegas Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory;                  

            Fall 2016­–Fall 2017

            Title: Graduate Student

            Faculty Advisor: Jefferson W. Kinney Ph.D.

            Responsibilities:

              -Design, operation, organizing, and analysis behavioral assays including; Morris water maze,                   novel object recognition, cued and contextual fear conditioning, open field, tail flick,                                   behavioral screen assay, Barnes maze.          

              -Operation, organizing and analysis of bench assays including; Western blot,                                               immunohistochemistry chemistry, end point polymerase chain reaction, protein                                         concentration assay, ELISA, and confocal microscopy.

             -Animal husbandry including; breeding, weaning, genotyping, and colony tracking. 

University of Nevada, Las Vegas Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory;    

            Fall 2014–2015

            Title: Research Assistant

            Faculty Advisor: Jefferson W. Kinney Ph.D.

            Responsibilities:

            -Assisting in operation of behavioral assay including Morris water maze and forced swim task.

            -Assisting in operation of biochemical assays including immunohistochemistry, Western blot,                  polymerase chain reaction, and protein concentration assay.  

            -Assisting in collecting tissue samples.

            -Assisting in handling research animals.

            -Organizing and conducting literature searches.

PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS

1. Murtishaw, A.S., Bolton, M.M., Boren, A.J., Salazar, A.M., Toughlian, J.E., Ortiz, A.A., Kinney, J.W. Alterations of high-fat diet in CX3CR1 knockout mice on neuroinflammation, metabolic markers, and Alzheimer’s disease-related pathology. Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior. Montreal, Canada, July 2017. 

2. Murtishaw, A.S., Bolton, M.M., Boren, A.J., Salazar, A.M., Toughlian, J.E., Ortiz, A.A., Kinney, J.W. High-fat diet induced insulin disruption in CX3CR1 knockout mice on dementia-related pathology. Society for Neuroscience annual meeting. Washington, D.C., November 2017.

3. Andrew S. Murtishaw, Monica M. Bolton, Austin J. Boren, and Jefferson W. Kinney. The effects of insulin impairments in CX3CR1 knockout mice on dementia-related pathology and neuroinflammation. Society for Neuroscience annual meeting. San Diego, CA, November 2016.

4. Murtishaw, A.S., Heaney, C.F., Bolton, M.M., Belmonte, K.C.D, Langardt, M.A., Calvin K.N., Boren, A.J., & Kinney, J.W. A novel administration of systemic streptozotocin leads to alterations relevant to vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Society for Neuroscience annual meeting. Chicago, IL, October 2015.

CAMPUS ACTIVITIES AND LEADERSHIP

   Presenting Member of Neuroscience Journal Club; 2014–present

   Guest lecture invitation for Foundations of Physiological Psychology; Fall 2015

   Physiology of Psychology tutor (PSY 303); Spring 2015

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Nevada brain bee board member; 2017

          Yearly national competition for high school students on brain structure and function. 

Nevada brain bee judge; 2017

Brain awareness outreach; Spring 2015 – present

          Educational presentations and workshops for elementary school children on brain function and             brain safety 

PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES

Jefferson W. Kinney, Ph.D.

     Associate Professor, Department of Psychology Affiliate Faculty, Nevada Institute of Personalized           Medicine University of Nevada, Las Vegas

     4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Box 455030 Las Vegas, NV 89154-5030.

     Phone: (702) 895-4766

     Email: jefferson.kinney@unlv.edu

James M. Hyman, Ph.D.

     Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

     4505 S. Maryland Parkway, CBC-C 5030 Las Vegas, NV 89154-0530.

     Phone: (702) 895-0109

     Email: james.Hyman@unlv.edu

Colleen M. Parks, Ph.D.

     Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

     4505 S. Maryland Parkway, CBC-B 341 5030 Las Vegas, NV 89154-0530.

     Phone: (702) 895-0139

     Email: colleen.parks@unlv.edu