Jeff Edwards

Research Interests

By combining electrophysiology with pharmacology, molecular biology (qPCR), optogenetics, behavioral studies, and immunohistochemistry, Dr. Edwards lab investigates synaptic plasticity—the cellular mechanism that enables our brains to learn and adapt. Our research focuses on synaptic plasticity in two key brain regions: the hippocampus, which plays a central role in learning and memory, and the ventral tegmental area, the brain's reward pathway. The ultimate goal is to understand normal brain function and apply this knowledge to abnormal conditions, such as stress, PTSD, and Alzheimer’s disease in the hippocampus, as well as the effects of drug exposure (e.g., psychedelics, morphine, THC, and polysubstance use) on the ventral tegmental area as we attempt to reverse drug dependence.

Honors and Awards

• Thomas L. Martin Professorship, Life Science College (2023 - 2026)
• BYU Phi Kappa Phi Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Award, Phi Kappa Phi (2019 - 2019)
• Graduate Mentoring Award, Brigham Young University (2018 - 2018)
• PDBio Award for Outstanding Achievement and Service, PDBio (2016 - 2016)
• Honors Award, Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience (2013 - 2013)
• Honors Award, Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience (2012 - 2012)
• Graduate Mentoring Award, Brigham Young University (2011 - 2011)
• Honors Award, Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience (2011 - 2011)
• Graduate Mentoring Award, Brigham Young University (2010 - 2010)
• Course Development Project Grant, Faculty Center (2007 - 2007)
• Thomas E. Ricks Award, BYU-Idaho (2006 - 2006)
• National Service Research Award- Postdoctoral Fellowship, NIH (2005 - 2005)
• Don Tucker Memorial Award Nominee, Association for Chemoreception Sciences (2002 - 2002)
• Assocation for Chemoreception Sciences Travel Awards, Assocation for Chemoreception Sciences (1999 - 2002)
• Don Tucker Memorial Award Nominee, Association for Chemoreception Sciences (2001 - 2001)
• Most outstanding presentation, Intermountain Chapter Society for Neuroscience (2001 - 2001)

Administrative Assignments

• Neuroscience: Director (2021 - Present)
• Neuroscience: Associate Director (2015 - 2021)

Memberships

• International Cannabinoid Research Society (2012 - Present)
• American Association for the Advancement of Science (2007 - Present)
• Society for Neuroscience (2004 - Present)
• Intermountain Chapter Society for Neuroscience (2000 - Present)
• American Physiological Society (1998 - Present)

Professional Citizenship

• Editor, Associate Editor, Frontiers in Neuroscience (2022 - Present)
• Editorial Review Board Member, Frontiers in Synaptic Neuroscience (2019 - Present)
• Editor, Associate Editor, BMC Neuroscience (2017 - Present)
• Editor, Associate Editor, Scientific Reports (a Nature Publishing Group journal) (2015 - Present)
• Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, NIH (2023 - 2023)
• Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Journal Reviewer (2021 - 2023)
• Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP)
• Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, National Institute of Health
• Conference-Related Role, Spring Brain Conference
• Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, National Institute of Health
• Media Interview, Top of Mind Radio Broadcast

Courses Taught

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Publications

Eric Winzenried Anna Everett Erin Saito Roxanne Miller Taylor Johnason Eliza Neal Zachary Boyce Calvin Smith Calvin Smith Chloe Jensen Spencer Kimball Adam Brantley Gabriel Melendez Devin Moffat Erin Davis Lyndsey Aponik Tyler Crofts Bryson Dabney Jeff Glen Edwards Teresa Nufer Bridget Wu Zachary Boyce Scott C Steffensen Jeff Glen Edwards Isaac Ostlund Michael Von Gunten Calvin Smith Jeff Glen Edwards E R Saito C E Warren C M Hanegan J G Larsen J D du Randt M Cannon J Y Saito R J Campbell C M Kemberling G S Miller Jeff Glen Edwards Benjamin Thomas Bikman Jeff Glen Edwards L Cristino D P Covey L N Friend B Wu Jeff Glen Edwards T M Nufer Collin Brutch Merrill L Friend Z Hopkins Z Boyce Jeff Glen Edwards L N Friend R C Williamson Collin Brutch Merrill S T Newton M T Christensen J Petersen B Wu I Ostlund Jeff Glen Edwards Stephanie B Williams Jordan T Yorgason Ashley C Nelson Natali Lewis Teresa M Nufer Jeff Glen Edwards Scott C Steffensen R M Miller D Marriott J Trotter T Hammond D Lyman T Call B Walker N Christensen D Haynie Z Badura M Homan Jeff Glen Edwards L Friend J Weed P Sandoval T Nufer I Ostlund Jeff Glen Edwards Scott C Steffensen Samuel I Shin Ashley C Nelson Stephanie S Pistorius Stephanie B Williams Taylor J Woodward Hyun Jung Park Lindsey Friend M Gao F Gao Devin H Taylor M Foster Olive Jeff Glen Edwards Sterling N Sudweeks Lori M Buhlman J Michael McIntosh Jie Wu K Hurst C Badgley T Ellsworth S Bell L Friend B Prince J Welch Z Cowan R Williamson C Lyon B Anderson B Poole M Christensen M McNeil J Call Jeff Glen Edwards Ryan Daniel Cordner Lindsey N Friend Jaime L Mayo Corinne Badgley Andrew Wallman Conrad N Stallings Peter L Young Darla R Miles Jeff Glen Edwards Laura Clarke Bridgewater Collin Brutch Merrill L N Friend S T Newton Z H Hopkins Jeff Glen Edwards Jeff Glen Edwards Devin H Taylor Poromendro N Burman David M Hansen Rebecca S Wilcox Brett R Larsen Jennifer K Blanchard Collin B Merrill Jeff Glen Edwards Sterling N Sudweeks Jie Wu Hugo R Arias Scott C Steffensen Collin Merrill Michael McNeil Ryan Williamson Brian Poole Blake Nelson Sterling N Sudweeks Jeff Glen Edwards Tyron Jensen Jeff Glen Edwards Douglas Bennion Tyron Jensen Curtis Wallther John Hamblin Andrew Wallmann Jason Couch Jacob Blickenstaff Michael Castle Lauren Dean Sam Beckstead Collin Merrill Casey Muir Teresa St Pierre Bryan Williams Stephen Daniel Jeff Glen Edwards Scott C Steffensen Katie Bradley David M Hansen Jeffrey D Wilcox Rebecca S Wilcox David W Allison Collin B Merrill Jeff Glen Edwards Jeff Glen Edwards Helen Gibson Tyron Jensen Fereshteh Nugent Curtis Walther Jacob Blickenstaff Julie Kauer Z. Wang Jeff Glen Edwards N. Riley D. W. Provance R. Karcher X. D. Li I. G. Davison M. Ikebe J. A. Mercer J. A. Kauer M. D. Ehlers H. E. Gibson Jeff Glen Edwards R. S. Page M. J. Van Hook J. A. Kauer Jeff Glen Edwards A. Greig Y. Sakata D. Elkin W. C. Michel M. Park E. C. Penick Jeff Glen Edwards J. A. Kauer M. D. Ehlers Jeff Glen Edwards W C Michel Jeff Glen Edwards W C Michel

Presentations