World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!

D-Index & Metrics

Neuroscience

D-Index
57
Citations
12844
World Ranking
4325
National Ranking
1961

Overview

R. Christopher Pierce is affiliated with Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in the United States. Their research spans multiple disciplines within neuroscience, biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, and medicine, contributing to a broad understanding of brain function and behavior.

The main fields of study where R. Christopher Pierce has made contributions include:

  • Neuroscience
  • Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • Medicine

Within these broad fields, specific subfields they have focused on are:

  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Neurology
  • Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health

Their research has addressed multiple key topics such as:

  • Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Neurological disorders and treatments
  • Neural dynamics and brain function
  • Neuroscience and Neural Engineering
  • RNA Research and Splicing
  • Photoreceptor and optogenetics research
  • RNA regulation and disease

R. Christopher Pierce has published research in several venues, including:

  • Neuron
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
  • Cell stem cell
  • Nature Communications
  • Molecular Psychiatry

Notable recent papers demonstrate a range of topics from cortical development to addiction biology. These publications include:

  • Sliced Human Cortical Organoids for Modeling Distinct Cortical Layer Formation, 2020, Cell stem cell
  • Nr4a1 suppresses cocaine-induced behavior via epigenetic regulation of homeostatic target genes, 2020, Nature Communications
  • Chromatin-mediated alternative splicing regulates cocaine-reward behavior, 2021, Neuron
  • GLP-1 receptor signaling in the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus attenuates cocaine seeking by activating GABAergic circuits that project to the VTA, 2020, Molecular Psychiatry
  • Deep brain stimulation of the infralimbic cortex attenuates cocaine priming-induced reinstatement of drug seeking, 2020, Brain Research

Among frequent collaborators, R. Christopher Pierce has worked extensively with:

  • Sarah E. Swinford-Jackson
  • Matthew T. Rich
  • Sharvari Mankame
  • Samantha J. Worobey
  • Mathieu E. Wimmer

Best Publications

  • A circuitry model of the expression of behavioral sensitization to amphetamine-like psychostimulants

    R.Christopher Pierce;Peter W Kalivas

  • The mesolimbic dopamine system: the final common pathway for the reinforcing effect of drugs of abuse?

    R. Christopher Pierce;Vidhya Kumaresan;Vidhya Kumaresan

  • Epigenetic Inheritance of a Cocaine Resistance Phenotype

    Fair M Vassoler;Samantha L White;Heath D Schmidt;Ghazaleh Sadri-Vakili

  • A vitamin as neuromodulator: Ascorbate release into the extracellular fluid of the brain regulates dopaminergic and glutamatergic transmission

    George V. Rebec;R. Christopher Pierce

  • Sliced Human Cortical Organoids for Modeling Distinct Cortical Layer Formation.

    Xuyu Qian;Xuyu Qian;Yijing Su;Christopher D. Adam;Andre U. Deutschmann

  • Cocaine Administered into the Medial Prefrontal Cortex Reinstates Cocaine-Seeking Behavior by Increasing AMPA Receptor-Mediated Glutamate Transmission in the Nucleus Accumbens

    W.-K. Park;A. A. Bari;A. R. Jey;S. M. Anderson

  • CaMKII: a biochemical bridge linking accumbens dopamine and glutamate systems in cocaine seeking.

    Sharon M Anderson;Katie R Famous;Ghazaleh Sadri-Vakili;Vidhya Kumaresan

  • Cocaine-induced neuroadaptations in glutamate transmission: potential therapeutic targets for craving and addiction.

    Heath D. Schmidt;R. Christopher Pierce

  • Repeated Cocaine Modifies the Mechanism by which Amphetamine Releases Dopamine

    R. Christopher Pierce;Peter W. Kalivas

  • Administration of the D1-like dopamine receptor antagonist SCH-23390 into the medial nucleus accumbens shell attenuates cocaine priming-induced reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior in rats.

    Sharon M. Anderson;Ausaf A. Bari;R. Christopher Pierce

  • Rational Development of Addiction Pharmacotherapies: Successes, Failures, and Prospects

    R.C. Pierce;C.P. O'Brien;P.J. Kenny;L.J.M.J. Vanderschuren

  • Neurotrophin-3 contributes to the initiation of behavioral sensitization to cocaine by activating the Ras/Mitogen-activated protein kinase signal transduction cascade.

    R. Christopher Pierce;Audrey F. Pierce-Bancroft;Balakrishna M. Prasad

  • Raphe GABAergic neurons mediate the acquisition of avoidance after social defeat.

    C. Challis;J. Boulden;A. Veerakumar;J. Espallergues

  • Antiretroviral drugs induce oxidative stress and neuronal damage in the central nervous system.

    Cagla Akay;Michael Cooper;Akinleye Odeleye;Brigid K. Jensen

  • Sensitization Processes in Drug Addiction

    Louk J. M. J. Vanderschuren;R. Christopher Pierce

  • Cocaine-Induced Chromatin Remodeling Increases Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Transcription in the Rat Medial Prefrontal Cortex, Which Alters the Reinforcing Efficacy of Cocaine

    Ghazaleh Sadri-Vakili;Vidhya Kumaresan;Heath D. Schmidt;Katie R. Famous

  • GABAB-mediated rescue of altered excitatory–inhibitory balance, gamma synchrony and behavioral deficits following constitutive NMDAR-hypofunction

    M J Gandal;J Sisti;K Klook;K Klook;P I Ortinski

  • Anatomy and pharmacology of cocaine priming-induced reinstatement of drug seeking

    Heath D. Schmidt;Sharon M. Anderson;Katie R. Famous;Vidhya Kumaresan

  • The food intake-suppressive effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor signaling in the ventral tegmental area are mediated by AMPA/kainate receptors.

    Elizabeth G. Mietlicki-Baase;Pavel I. Ortinski;Laura E. Rupprecht;Diana R. Olivos

  • Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) antagonists attenuate cocaine priming- and cue-induced reinstatement of cocaine seeking.

    Vidhya Kumaresan;Menglu Yuan;Judy Yee;Katie R. Famous

  • Stimulation of D1‐like or D2 dopamine receptors in the shell, but not the core, of the nucleus accumbens reinstates cocaine‐seeking behaviour in the rat

    Heath D. Schmidt;Sharon M. Anderson;R. Christopher Pierce

Frequent Co-Authors

Peter W. Kalivas
Peter W. Kalivas Medical University of South Carolina
John A. Wolf
John A. Wolf University of Pennsylvania
Julie A. Blendy
Julie A. Blendy University of Pennsylvania
Dennis L. Kolson
Dennis L. Kolson University of Pennsylvania
Ethan M. Goldberg
Ethan M. Goldberg Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Julie A. Kauer
Julie A. Kauer Stanford University
Hongjun Song
Hongjun Song University of Pennsylvania
Bruce G. Jenkins
Bruce G. Jenkins Harvard University
Guo Li Ming
Guo Li Ming University of Pennsylvania
Rachael L. Neve
Rachael L. Neve Harvard University

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Report an issue

We appreciate your kind effort to assist us to improve this page, it would be helpful providing us with as much detail as possible in the text box below:

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

If you’re interested in neuroscience but want flexible study options, many related degrees can be completed online. Psychology, social work, and behavioral analysis are closely linked fields. For those seeking social work careers, there are online msw programs affordable for various budgets—many providing excellent value.

Students interested in behavioral health can consider online bcba programs, which prepare graduates to become Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs). These programs combine coursework with supervised fieldwork and are ideal for those looking to make an impact in applied behavior analysis.

If you’re motivated to earn your degree quickly, 1 year online master's in social work options allow qualified students to advance rapidly. Similarly, accelerated psychology programs enable learners to complete their bachelor’s or master's degrees faster than traditional routes.

Exploring these online and accelerated programs can open up diverse neuroscience-related career pathways, from clinical settings to research and applied social services.

Best Scientists Citing R. Christopher Pierce

Trending Scientists