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Photograph of maria Gomez

maria Gomez Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer (Continuing) Psychology

Additional Positions at AU
Director of the Undergraduate Laboratories
Degrees
PhD, Behavioral Neuroscience, American University <br>Doctor, Veterinarian Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain<br>MA, Psychology, American University

Languages Spoken
English, French and Spanish (native language)
Bio
Dr. Gomez-Serrano was born and raised in Madrid where she obtained her Veterinarian degree specializing in animal husbandry and genetics. Right after obtaining her degree, Dr. Gomez-Serrano moved to Washington DC and started working at NIH with Dr. Sternberg. After 4 years in NIH, Dr. Gomez-Serrano decided to go back to school for her PhD. She received her PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience from American University. After receiving her PhD, Dr. Gomez-Serrano worked for a year at NIDA and another year at GWU. In 2008, she returned to her alma matter where she is now.
See Also
For the Media
To request an interview for a news story, call AU Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.

Teaching

Summer 2024

  • ISCI-109 Summer Scholars Topics: Psychology and Neuroscience

  • NEUR-102 Natl Studnt Ldrshp Conf Topics: Psychology and Neuroscience

  • NEUR-102 Natl Studnt Ldrshp Conf Topics: Psychology and Neuroscience

Fall 2024

  • NEUR-899 Doctoral Dissertation

  • PSYC-115 Psychology as Natural Science

  • PSYC-116 Psychology as Natural Sci Lab

  • PSYC-116 Psychology as Natural Sci Lab

  • PSYC-116 Psychology as Natural Sci Lab

  • PSYC-116 Psychology as Natural Sci Lab

  • PSYC-241 Drugs and Behavior Lab

  • PSYC-241 Drugs and Behavior Lab

  • PSYC-241 Drugs and Behavior Lab

  • PSYC-241 Drugs and Behavior Lab

  • PSYC-601 Physiological Psychology

Spring 2025

  • NEUR-898 Doctoral Continuing Enrollment

  • NEUR-899 Doctoral Dissertation

  • PSYC-116 Psychology as Natural Sci Lab

  • PSYC-116 Psychology as Natural Sci Lab

  • PSYC-116 Psychology as Natural Sci Lab

  • PSYC-116 Psychology as Natural Sci Lab

  • PSYC-240 Drugs and Behavior

  • PSYC-241 Drugs and Behavior Lab

  • PSYC-241 Drugs and Behavior Lab

  • PSYC-241 Drugs and Behavior Lab

  • PSYC-241 Drugs and Behavior Lab

Scholarly, Creative & Professional Activities

Research Interests

Dr. Gomez-Serrano is interested in the nature/nurture interaction.Ìý In particular, she is interested on how this interaction affects drug susceptibility.Ìý Among the environmental stimulus, she finds very interesting the maternal/pup interactions as well as social interactions and the effects of light on drug susceptibility.

Professional Presentations

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  • Kearns, D.N.., Gomez-Serrano, M.A., Weiss, M.J., Riley, A.L.Ìý Differences between Lewis and Fisher rat strains in autoshaping (Sign-tracking).Ìý Presented at the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, 2004
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  • ″Gomez-Serrano, M.A., Glowa, J.R., Riley, A.L. The effects of cross-fostering on morphine-induced conditioned taste aversions in Fischer and Lewis rats. Presented at the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, 2004
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  • ″Gomez-Serrano, M.A., Grakalic, I., Pescatore, K., Basil, M., Riley, A.L. Amphetamine on conditioned taste aversion and open field behavior between spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar Kyoto rats. Presented at the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, 2003
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  • ″Gomez-Serrano, M.A., Tonelli, L., Listwak, S., Sternberg, E.M., Riley, A.L. Effects of cross-fostering on lipopolysaccharide-induced corticosterone release and open field behavior and acoustic startle in Lewis and Fischer rats. Presented at the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, 2001.
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  • ″Canadas, F., Stevenson, G.W., Gomez-Serrano, M.A., Riley, A.L. Drug discriminative control with the delta agonist SNC-80 in rats. Presented at the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, 2000.
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  • ″Gomez, M.A., Sternberg, E.M., Riley, A.L. Effects of cross-fostering on body weight and inflammatory response in Fischer and Lewis rats. Presented at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, 1998.

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Selected Publications

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  • Kearns, D. N., Gomez-Serrano, M. A. (invited chapter, submitted). Cognition: learning and memory: Pavlovian. In G. F. Koob, R. M. Thompson, & M. Le Moal (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Behavioral Neuroscience. Elsevier: London.
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  • ″Gomez-Serrano, M.A., Kearns, D.N., Riley, A.L. The effects of light cycle phase on morphine-induced conditioned taste aversions in the Lewis, Fischer and Sprague-Dawley rat strains. Behav Brain Res, 2009, 196:116-122.
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  • ″Contributor to the APA Dictionary of Psychology published in the spring of 2006 as specialist in behavioral terms.
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  • ″Kearns, D.N.., Gomez-Serrano, M.A., Weiss, M.J., Riley, A.L. A comparison of Lewis and Fischer rat strains on autoshaping (sign-tracking), discrimination reversal learning and negative auto-maintenance. Behav Brain Res. 2006,169: 193-200.
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  • ″Gomez-Serrano, M.A., Sternberg, E.M., Riley, A.L. Effects of cross-fostering on carrageenan induced inflammation and body weight in F344 and Lewis rat strains. Physiol Behav, 2002, 75: 493-505.
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  • ″Stevenson, G.W., Canadas F., Gomez-Serrano, M.A., Ullrich, T., Zang, X., Rice, K.C., Riley, A.L. Delta opioid discrimination learning in the rat: assessment with the selective delta agonist SNC-80. Pharmacol Biochem Behav, 2002, 71:1-2, 283-292.
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  • ″Gomez-Serrano, M.A., Tonelli, L., Listwak, S., Sternberg, E.M., Riley, A.L. Effects of cross-fostering on lipopolysaccharide-induced corticosterone release and open field behavior and acoustic startle in Lewis and Fischer rats. Behav Genet, 2001, 31:5, 427-436.