University of Washington-Seattle Campus · BiologyFentanyl and Addiction Research Unit
Sam Golden · Seattle, Washington
Research Focus
Dr. Sam Golden's lab at the University of Washington studies the effects of fentanyl on the brain and explores why some people are more vulnerable to opioid abuse than others. By using advanced techniques to analyze brain function and gene expression in mice, the lab aims to create detailed maps of brain circuitry involved in fentanyl seeking behavior. This research is important for understanding addiction and developing new strategies to combat opioid abuse.
opioid addictionfentanylneurosciencesingle-cell spatial transcriptomicsmachine learning
Research Aims
3AIM 01Generate behavioral datasets using machine learning to characterize fentanyl self-administration in mice.
AIM 02Map gene expression in brain circuits associated with fentanyl seeking behavior.
AIM 03Integrate transcriptomic data with electrophysiological recordings to understand brain-wide activity during fentanyl seeking.
Skills the Lab Values
single-cell spatial transcriptomicsbehavioral assays in micewhole-brain circuit mappingelectrophysiological recordingsgene expression analysis
Output against the department
Publications117bottom 42% of dept.604th of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations10ktop 37% of dept.379th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.