Minority serving institutions (MSIs) are in a unique position to contribute to the Neuroscience field by increasing the diversity in the workforce through trainees, but those institutions, trainees, and their faculty mentors are able to simultaneously propel the field forward in advances in cutting-edge neuroscience research. Enclosed are a few examples of neuroscience laboratories at MSIs from across the country who are engaged in neuroscience research, including North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Delaware State University, the University of Texas at El Paso, North Carolina Central University, University of North Texas, and Ponce Health Sciences University. In this neuronal depiction, the “dendritic” inputs from various categories of MSIs are diversifying the workforce and producing data that feeds into the field’s “axon”. (Special Note: MSIs also include Alaska Native & Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Native American Indian Serving, Non-Tribal Institutions; and Predominately Black Institutions.)

The pH-sensitive fluorescent sensor remains OFF inside neurotransmitter vesicles due to low pH. Upon fusion of the vesicle with the synaptic membrane, the sensor is exposed to the neutral extra-cellular pH which switches it to the ON configuration. Fluorescence recovery after photo-bleaching imaging of vesicle fusion dynamics reveals an active role for the dopamine membrane transporter in synaptic dopamine homeostasis.

Voluntary ethanol consumption was assessed following short- and long-term abstinence after adolescent intermittent ethanol exposure. * Intermittent vapor ethanol exposure during adolescence induces sexually divergent changes in ethanol consumption in adulthood. Long-term changes in open field behavior were observed in male and female C57BL/6J mice.

Females displayed a greater withdrawal-induced increase in interpeduncular nucleus (IPN) γ-aminobutyric acid levels than males. This measure of inhibitory tone was suppressed to a larger extent in females following blockade of corticotropin-releasing factor type 1 (CRF1) receptors, an effect that was likely due to greater CRF innervation of the IPN in females following chronic nicotine exposure.

Exposure of zebrafish embryos to acute ethanol during the late gastrulation phase (8–10 hpf) results in defects in brain development (midbrain–hindbrain boundary formation; microphthalmia) and long-lasting behavioral deficits (increase in risk taking behavior). The addition of a sonic hedgehog pathway agonist to the zebrafish embryos immediately after the ethanol exposure (10–12 hpf) rescues both the short-term morphological and long-term behavioral defects.