Dr. Brenton Laing leads a research lab at the University of Mississippi’s Department of BioMolecular Sciences, focusing on brain circuits that regulate survival behaviors, particularly those disrupted by stress and substance misuse. His work has revealed novel electrophysiological and molecular properties of anterior hypothalamic area (AHA) parvalbumin neurons, as well as their role in mediating behavioral responses to threats. Dr. Laing earned his PhD in bioenergetics from East Carolina University and completed his postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, where he trained under Dr. Yeka Aponte.