Nikki Crowley

Director, Neuroscience Institute – University Park; Huck Early Career Chair in Neurobiology & Neural Engineering; Associate Professor of Biology and Biomedical Engineering 

Nikki Crowley

Research Summary

Investigation of peptidergic transmission throughout the brain, using cell-specific and pathway-specific manipulations to understand how peptides alter neuronal signaling and behavior, particularly in the context of stress and drug use.

Huck Graduate Students

Huck Affiliations

Links

Most Recent Publications

Alcohol consumption confers lasting impacts on prefrontal cortical neuron intrinsic excitability and spontaneous neurotransmitter signaling in the aging brain in mice

Grace C. Smith, Keith R. Griffith, Avery R. Sicher, Dakota F. Brockway, Elizabeth A. Proctor, Nicole A. Crowley, 2025, Neurobiology of Aging on p. 42-54

Adolescent Alcohol Exposure Dysregulates Developing Cortical GABA Circuits

Avery R. Sicher, Nicole A. Crowley, 2025, on p. 159-177

Emerging pharmacological targets for alcohol use disorder

Dakota F. Brockway, Nicole A. Crowley, 2024, Alcohol on p. 103-114

Voluntary adolescent alcohol exposure does not robustly increase adulthood consumption of alcohol in multiple mouse and rat models

Avery R. Sicher, Andrea Liss, Valentina Vozella, Paige Marsland, Laurel R. Seemiller, Matthew Springer, William D. Starnes, Keith R. Griffith, Grace C. Smith, Amy Astefanous, Terrence Deak, Marisa Roberto, Florence P. Varodayan, Nicole A. Crowley, 2024, Addiction Neuroscience

Alcohol and stress exposure across the lifespan are key risk factors for Alzheimer's Disease and cognitive decline

Laurel R. Seemiller, Julio Flores-Cuadra, Keith R. Griffith, Grace C. Smith, Nicole A. Crowley, 2024, Neurobiology of Stress

Binge drinking is a growing public health crisis − a neurobiologist explains how research on alcohol use disorder has shifted

Nicole Crowley, 2024, The conversation

Somatostatin peptide signaling dampens cortical circuits and promotes exploratory behavior

D Brockway, K Griffith, C Aloimonos, T Clarity, J Moyer, G Smith, N Dao, M Hossain, Patrick Drew, J Gordon, D Kupferschmidt, Nicole A. Crowley, 2023, Cell Reports on p. 112976

Adolescent binge drinking leads to long-lasting changes in cortical microcircuits in mice

Avery R. Sicher, William D. Starnes, Keith R. Griffith, Nigel C. Dao, Grace C. Smith, Dakota F. Brockway, Nicole A. Crowley, 2023, Neuropharmacology

Predictive link between systemic metabolism and cytokine signatures in the brain of apolipoprotein E ε4 mice

Rebecca Fleeman, A Snyder, M Kuhn, D Chan, G Smith, Nicole Crowley, Amy Arnold, Elizabeth Proctor, 2022, Neurobiology of Aging on p. 154-169

An innovative approach to examining the role of neurotransmitters in fear circuitry

Keith R. Griffith, Nicole A. Crowley, 2022, Neuropsychopharmacology on p. 2175-2176

Most-Cited Papers

A New DREADD Facilitates the Multiplexed Chemogenetic Interrogation of Behavior

Eyal Vardy, J. Elliott Robinson, Chia Li, Reid H.J. Olsen, Jeffrey F. DiBerto, Patrick M. Giguere, Flori M. Sassano, Xi Ping Huang, Hu Zhu, Daniel J. Urban, Kate L. White, Joseph E. Rittiner, Nicole A. Crowley, Kristen E. Pleil, Christopher M. Mazzone, Philip D. Mosier, Juan Song, Thomas L. Kash, C. J. Malanga, Michael J. Krashes, Bryan L. Roth, 2015, Neuron on p. 936-946

Distinct Subpopulations of Nucleus Accumbens Dynorphin Neurons Drive Aversion and Reward

Ream Al-Hasani, Jordan G. McCall, Gunchul Shin, Adrian M. Gomez, Gavin P. Schmitz, Julio M. Bernardi, Chang O. Pyo, Sung Il Park, Catherine M. Marcinkiewcz, Nicole A. Crowley, Michael J. Krashes, Bradford B. Lowell, Thomas L. Kash, John A. Rogers, Michael R. Bruchas, 2015, Neuron on p. 1063-1077

Effects of chronic ethanol exposure on neuronal function in the prefrontal cortex and extended amygdala

Kristen E. Pleil, Emily G. Lowery-Gionta, Nicole A. Crowley, Chia Li, Catherine A. Marcinkiewcz, Jamie H. Rose, Nora M. McCall, Antoniette M. Maldonado-Devincci, A. Leslie Morrow, Sara R. Jones, Thomas L. Kash, 2015, Neuropharmacology on p. 735-749

Dynorphin Controls the Gain of an Amygdalar Anxiety Circuit

Nicole A. Crowley, Daniel W. Bloodgood, J. Andrew Hardaway, Alexis M. Kendra, Jordan G. McCall, Ream Al-Hasani, Nora M. McCall, Waylin Yu, Zachary L. Schools, Michael J. Krashes, Bradford B. Lowell, Jennifer L. Whistler, Michael R. Bruchas, Thomas L. Kash, 2016, Cell Reports on p. 2774-2783

Kappa opioid receptor signaling in the brain: Circuitry and implications for treatment

Nicole A. Crowley, Thomas L. Kash, 2015, Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry on p. 51-60

Neuropeptide regulation of signaling and behavior in the BNST

Thomas L. Kash, Kristen E. Pleil, Catherine A. Marcinkiewcz, Emily G. Lowery-Gionta, Nicole Crowley, Christopher Mazzone, Jonathan Sugam, J. Andrew Hardaway, Zoe A. McElligott, 2015, Molecules and Cells on p. 1-13

Manipulations of central amygdala neurotensin neurons alter the consumption of ethanol and sweet fluids in mice

María Luisa Torruella-Suárez, Jessica R. Vandenberg, Elizabeth S. Cogan, Gregory J. Tipton, Adonay Teklezghi, Kedar Dange, Gunjan K. Patel, Jenna A. McHenry, J. Andrew Hardaway, Pranish A. Kantak, Nicole A. Crowley, Jeffrey F. DiBerto, Sara P. Faccidomo, Clyde W. Hodge, Garret D. Stuber, Zoé A. McElligott, 2020, Journal of Neuroscience on p. 632-647

Chronic stress dysregulates amygdalar output to the prefrontal cortex

Emily G. Lowery-Gionta, Nicole A. Crowley, Olena Bukalo, Shana Silverstein, Andrew Holmes, Thomas Louis Kash, 2018, Neuropharmacology on p. 68-75

Integrated circuits and molecular components for stress and feeding: Implications for eating disorders

J. A. Hardaway, N. A. Crowley, C. M. Bulik, T. L. Kash, 2015, Genes, Brain and Behavior on p. 85-97

Chronic alcohol alters rewarded behaviors and striatal plasticity

Lauren DePoy, Rachel Daut, Tara Wright, Marguerite Camp, Nicole Crowley, Bianca Noronha, David Lovinger, Andrew Holmes, 2015, Addiction Biology on p. 345-348

News Articles Featuring Nikki Crowley

Jul 16, 2025

When dreams turn dark: Neuroscientists to study nightmares and mental health

Dreams, and likely nightmares, are experienced universally across humans and animals, but neuroscientists still do not know why. Now, with a three-year, $1.2 million grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation, an interdisciplinary team of researchers at Penn State will study the underlying mechanisms of nightmares and their relationship with anxiety-related mental health disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

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Jul 14, 2025

The breadth of the brain

Researchers in the Penn State Neuroscience Institute study the brain’s many aspects in a variety of ways, with implications from mental health to aging and disease.

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Jul 09, 2025

Penn State professors receive $2.9 million grant to research the effects of adolescent binge drinking

Two Penn State professors were awarded a $2.9 million grant to fund a five-year study on the long-term effects of alcohol exposure in adolescence.

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Jul 08, 2025

Q&A: Does adolescent alcohol use impact future risk of addiction?

Postdoctoral fellow Laurel Seemiller studies the biology and long-term consequences of adolescent alcohol usage. In this Q&A, Seemiller spoke about her research and her experience at Penn State.

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Jun 04, 2025

$2.9M grant funds study on long-term effects adolescent binge drinking

An interdisciplinary team of researchers at Penn State will use a new five-year, $2,900,000 grant to investigate the long-term effects of excess alcohol drinking during adolescence.

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Apr 25, 2025

Penn State graduate students receive American Heart Association fellowships

Two Penn State graduate students enrolled in Intercollege Graduate Degree Programs administered by the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences have each been awarded two-year American Heart Association (AHA) Postdoctoral Fellowships.

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Jan 10, 2025

Even 1 drink a day elevates your cancer risk – an expert on how alcohol affects the body breaks down a new government report

Over the past few decades, mounting scientific evidence has shown that as little as 1-2 alcoholic drinks per day can lead to increases in the likelihood of several cancers.

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Jan 03, 2025

Fourth annual Big Ten Neuroscience Symposium to convene at Penn State

The Penn State Neuroscience Institute, through the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and the Penn State College of Medicine, will host the Big Ten Neuroscience Annual Meeting on July 21 and 22 at the Nittany Lion Inn in State College.

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Jan 01, 2025

Alcohol and Sleep: How Drinking Affects Your Brain's Ability to Rest

The brain is affected by the lack of deep and restorative sleep, leaving you feeling unrested.

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Nov 19, 2024

Early adult binge drinking has lasting impact on aging brain in mice

Binge drinking in early adults can lead to long-lasting and potentially permanent dysregulation in the brain, according to a new study in mice, led by researchers at Penn State.

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Oct 29, 2024

Penn State’s Neurosciences Biorepository expands access to University Park

The Neuroscience Biorepository, a collection of specimens and data housed at the Penn State College of Medicine, will be expanding its availability to researchers at University Park.

Full Article

May 17, 2024

How Binge Drinking Shifted Research On Alcohol Use Disorders

Roughly 1 in 5 U.S. adults report binge drinking at least once a week.

Full Article

May 13, 2024

Nikki Crowley named director of Neuroscience Institute at University Park

Nikki Crowley, assistant professor of biology and of biomedical engineering and Huck Early Career Chair in Neurobiology and Neural Engineering, has been named director of the Penn State Neuroscience Institute at University Park.

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May 13, 2024

Binge drinking is a growing public health crisis − a neurobiologist explains how research on alcohol use disorder has shifted

With the new Amy Winehouse biopic “Back to Black” in U.S. theaters as of May 17, 2024, the late singer’s relationship with alcohol and drugs is under scrutiny again. In July 2011, Winehouse was found dead in her flat in north London from “death by misadventure” at the age of 27. That’s the official British term used for accidental death caused by a voluntary risk.

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Apr 26, 2024

Neuroscientists Warn of 'Cascading' Alzheimer's Risk From These Two Habits

Two common habits could be putting you at an increased risk of Alzheimer's and related dementias, neuroscientists have warned.

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Mar 12, 2024

Biology postdoc awarded National Institutes of Health fellowship

Laurel Seemiller, a postdoctoral scholar in biology at Penn State, has been awarded a Ruth L. Kirschstein Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).

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Feb 13, 2024

Heard on campus: Nikki Crowley on 30 years of neuroscience advances

Nikki Crowley recently spoke at the Ashtekar Frontiers of Science, an annual public lecture series held by the Eberly College of Science, on 30 years of advances in cell signaling and neuroscience

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Oct 06, 2023

Nikki Crowley honored with Women in STEAM Award by the Whitaker Center

Nikki Crowley, Huck Early Career Chair in Neurobiology and Neural Engineering and assistant professor of biology and of biomedical engineering, has been named among Women to Watch: Class of 2023 as part of the Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts’ Women in STEAM Awards.

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Aug 17, 2023

Uncovering the role of somatostatin signaling in the brain

New research in mice demonstrates how the signaling molecule somatostatin acts to dampen neural circuits in the prefrontal cortex and stimulate exploratory behavior.

Full Article

Jun 08, 2023

Mouse models of adolescent binge drinking reveal key long-lasting brain changes

Heavy alcohol consumption may cause permanent dysregulation of neurons, or brain cells, in adolescents, according to a new study in mice.

Full Article

Feb 20, 2023

New Student Spotlight video highlights neuroscience's Avery Sicher

The latest entry in the Student Spotlight series from the Huck Institutes covers Avery Sicher, a graduate student in the Neuroscience Program, and her research on the effects of alcohol consumption on brain development.

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Jan 17, 2023

Crowley receives Huck Early Career Chair appointment

Nikki Crowley, assistant professor of biology and biomedical engineering, has been named the Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Early Career Chair in Neurobiology and Neural Engineering by the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences.

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Nov 10, 2022

New research on effects of binge drinking earns biologist early career award

Nikki Crowley, assistant professor of biology and biomedical engineering at Penn State, is the 2022 recipient of the Neuropsychopharmacology Editor’s Early Career Award.

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Jul 11, 2022

Penn State biologist receives NIH grant to help unlock biology of binge drinking

Nikki Crowley, assistant professor of biology and of biomedical engineering at Penn State, has been awarded a five-year, $1.6 million grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, part of the National Institutes of Health, to study the neurobiology of binge alcohol drinking.

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Jun 23, 2022

Neuroscience grad student awarded grant to study adolescent binge drinking

Avery Sicher, a graduate student in the neuroscience program at Penn State's Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, has received a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support her continued research. Sicher is one of few Huck students to receive this recognition.

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