Catherine A. Marcinkiewcz, PhD

Contact Information: 

Office: 2-430 BSB
Phone: 335-6944
Faculty Profile


Brief description of current research:

Dr. Marcinkiewcz's research focuses on the role of serotonergic circuits in alcohol dependence, mood disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Recently, her lab has been investigating the effects of heavy alcohol consumption on neuroinflammation in chronic metabolic and pain disorders, including diabetes-related neuropathic pain. She is particularly interested in identifying neural circuits that are impacted by early adolescent exposure to alcohol and high fat diet, leading to altered energy homeostasis, insulin sensitivity and neuropathic pain in later life. 

3 most influential diabetes/obesity/metabolism publications:

  • Pati D, Marcinkiewcz CA, DiBerto JF, Cogan ES, McElligott ZA, Kash TL. Chronic intermittent ethanol exposure dysregulates a GABAergic microcircuit in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Neuropharmacology. 2020 May 15;168:107759. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.107759. Epub 2019 Sep 5. PMID: 31494142
  • Marcinkiewcz CA, Bierlein-De La Rosa G, Dorrier CE, McKnight M, DiBerto JF, Pati D, Gianessi CA, Hon OJ, Tipton G, McElligott ZA, Delpire E, Kash TL. Sex-Dependent Modulation of Anxiety and Fear by 5-HT1A Receptors in the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis. ACS Chem Neurosci. 2019 Jul 17;10(7):3154-3166. doi: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00594. Epub 2019 Jun 17. PMID: 31140276 Free PMC article.
  • Marcinkiewcz CA, Mazzone CM, D'Agostino G, Halladay LR, Hardaway JA, DiBerto JF, Navarro M, Burnham N, Cristiano C, Dorrier CE, Tipton GJ, Ramakrishnan C, Kozicz T, Deisseroth K, Thiele TE, McElligott ZA, Holmes A, Heisler LK, Kash TL. Serotonin engages an anxiety and fear-promoting circuit in the extended amygdala. Nature. 2016 Sep 1;537(7618):97-101. doi: 10.1038/nature19318. Epub 2016 Aug 24. PMID: 27556938 Free PMC article.