Midterms are here, and we want to take a moment to wish you focus, confidence, and good vibes for the week/s ahead. Take care of yourself, pace your studying, and don’t forget to rest and recharge along the way. And remember, sleep isn’t a luxury — it’s a study tool: research shows that getting enough sleep helps consolidate memory, improve concentration, and support clear thinking during exams.

We know you’ve got this! Good luck!

-The WISP Team

The Nautiyal Lab studies how serotonin impacts the reward circuitry in the brain, particularly when it is dysregulated by depression and addiction. Researchers in the lab use mouse models to measure and manipulate signals in the brain. Current projects include exploring how serotonin regulates cognitive flexibility, promoting adolescent maturation of impulsivity, and identifying the neural receptor that could serve as a potential target for drugs used to treat psychiatric illness. The group is ramping up a new project that examines how serotonin influences the negative consequences of binge drinking on one’s brain and behavior. 

Professor Nautiyal is no stranger to working with new researchers—since arriving at Dartmouth in 2018, she has mentored more than two dozen students. According to her, “Dartmouth undergrads are a very important part of our lab. When they first join, there are many techniques to learn, from handling mice to testing behavior in Skinner boxes. It’s a rewarding experience for both the lab and the undergraduates when they become independent in performing experiments and become authors on our publications.”

One lab member, Angela Shang `27, found a warm welcome when she joined the group in winter 2024 as a WISP intern. Professor Nautiyal helped her develop many essential lab skills, including how to present her work and how to analyze publications. Additionally, two graduate students, Sixtine Fleury and Yanevith Peña, taught her how to pursue an independent research project. Angela told us, “The best part of being in the Nautiyal lab is being surrounded by people I love to work and spend time with. Aside from the experiments and meetings, my favorite memories in the lab are catching up with the team in the break room. We talk about science, teach each other new vocabulary, and share home-baked crumble pies or funny stories. I would not be the person I am now without their continuous and generous support.”

Our friends at the Academic Skills Center are available Monday through Friday, 8:30AM-4:30PM. The ASC offers a wide variety of resources and programming to help you lock down and study for upcoming exams - and ways to take breaks so your brain doesn’t overheat! Check out their term calendar for listed programs.

Are you interested in conducting research during the spring term? The deadline for submitting applications is fast approaching for two of SURFD’s research programs:

Leave yourself plenty of time to prepare these materials and please make sure you review all of the guidelines for submission, including those for faculty recommendations/endorsements. No late applications will be accepted.

Also: Applications for the Stamps Scholars Program are due February 15.

Interested in biological sciences? Come celebrate with the BIOL community next week in the LSC! You don’t have to be a major - anyone with an interest in the many diverse fields of biology is welcome.