Lester Rodriguez Santos

I majored in cellular and molecular biology at the Rio Piedras Campus of the University of Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico. My undergrade research in the lab of Dr. Carmen Maldonado focused on studying how oxytocin modulates the anxiolytic effects of endocannabinoids in rodents. After graduating, I became a postbaccalaureate fellow at the National Institute on Drug Abuse's Intramural Research Program in the Neuroimaging Research Branch (NRB). Under the mentorship of Dr. Elliot Stein, my work at the NRB focused in studying changes in dynamic functional connectivity and behavior as nicotine smokers transition into acute abstinence.

Currently, I am interested in applying different neuroimaging modalities (e.g., PET and fMRI) to study substance abuse and uncover clinically meaningful biomarkers that aid the development of novel treatment strategies. I am co-mentored by Dr. Kelly Cosgrove and Dr. Sarah Yip.