Nicole Palacio is as Master's student at McGill working in Dr. Marco Leyton鈥檚 lab.
What is your previous degree in? Where did you earn it from?
I have a summa cum laude bachelor鈥檚 degree in psychology and a magna cum laude bachelor鈥檚 degree in microbiology from the University of Los Andes (Colombia).
Describe your research and the implications of your project
My research is about the effects of cocaine on epigenetic processes in the human brain. We are using new tools to measure these effects in post-mortem tissue and in the living human brain through PET neuroimaging. We hope to advance understanding of the causes behind stimulant drug addiction, including the role of environmental factors and their interaction with genes.
What inspired you to pursue your current degree?
The brain is what dictates who we are, yet it is still the least understood organ. There is still much to decipher in the complex interplay between genes and environment. I am doing an MSc to participate in this collaborative pursuit. My current project about neuroepigenetics brings together my two undergraduate degrees (Psychology and Microbiology) and I plan to continue this research after fast-tracking to a PhD Considering the consequences of drug abuse on mental health and global disease burden, I hope that this work can inform health policies and improve the quality of life of people with substance abuse disorders.
What do you think are the biggest challenges in your field? How have you tried to overcome them?
So far, most research about neuroepigenetics and addiction has focused on animal models. This poses questions about the translatability of the findings to human research. In this project, we are using novel brain imaging tools to analyze histone deacetylases in vivo in humans. We are also planning to validate the findings in human post-mortem tissue from the Douglas-Bell Canada Brain Bank.
What are your three favorite activities outside the lab?
Outside the lab, my favorite activities are reading and writing. I am an avid reader, particularly in the romance and sci-fi genres. I am working on writing my own fantasy novel as well. I also enjoy going to restaurants, cooking and learning from cooking shows.
What accomplishment are you most proud of this year?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I was concerned about the spread of vaccine misinformation and mental health problems. To address this problem, I had the idea to found two groups to promote scientific communication and emotional wellbeing. Several friends, colleagues and I developed MindFree: Tiempo para ti, a group that provided mental health resources through videos with fellow psychologists in Colombia, and , a volunteering group that communicates accurate knowledge about vaccination in a friendly and approachable manner.
