University of California-Davis · NeuroscienceTrainor Neuroscience Lab
Brian C Trainor · Davis, California
Research Focus
Dr. Brian Trainor's lab studies how exposure to social stress during adolescence affects brain circuits related to social behavior, particularly focusing on the role of androgens (male hormones). By using California mice as a unique model, his research explores how hormonal changes in puberty might alter neural circuits and influence behaviors associated with stress, such as anxiety and social vigilance. This work aims to uncover the mechanisms behind gender differences in stress-related mental illnesses.
androgenssocial behaviorneural circuitsadolescencestressCalifornia micegene editingbehavioral neuroscienceelectrophysiology
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate the impact of androgens on developing brain circuits during adolescence.
AIM 02Identify androgen receptor binding sites in relevant brain regions using sequencing methods.
AIM 03Assess the effects of androgen receptor knockdown on neuronal excitability in specific brain areas.
AIM 04Explore sex differences in behavioral responses to social stress in juvenile and adult California mice.
AIM 05Determine how early hormonal interventions can alter stress sensitivity in social behavior.
Skills the Lab Values
CRISPRwhole-cell slice electrophysiologyRNA sequencingmolecular biology techniquescell culturebehavioral assaysgenomic mappinganimal handlingdata analysis
Output against the department
Publications183top 41% of dept.273rd of 671
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations7.3kbottom 49% of dept.341st of 671
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.