Academic Information

BA, 2002
Department of Psychology
Arizona State University

MA, 2006
Clinical Psychology
University of Colorado Denver

Research Interests

Under the supervision of Dr. Joanne Weinberg and Dr. Liisa Galea, my dissertation aims at elucidating the interaction of neurobiological mechanisms implicated in stress and reward/ motivational pathways, and how this interaction may affect an individual’s vulnerability/resilience to substance use problems. Specifically, my research utilizes a rat model of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) in order to understand the high prevalence of addiction among individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), as well as hyper-responsiveness to stress. At present, we have found sex differences in the effects of stress on adult neurogenesis in the offspring prenatally exposed to alcohol (Uban et al., 2010). A later study demonstrated differential responses to chronic mild stress in male and female subjects, with region specific effects on CRH (a central stress hormone) mRNA levels caused by stress and PAE. Presently, I am investigating cross-sensitization of stress and stimulant exposure as a model of neurobiological vulnerability related to dopaminergic sensitivity in rats prenatally exposed to alcohol. My research has implications for enhancing our understanding of long-lasting neurobiological alterations with FASD, specifically in regards to vulnerability to substance use problems and effects of stress on the brain in both the males and females.

Recent Publications

• Uban, K. A., Sliwowska, J. H., Lieblich, S., Ellis, L. A., Yu, W. K., Weinberg, J. & Galea, L. A. M. (In Press). Prenatal alcohol exposure reduces the proportion of newly produced neurons and glia in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus in female rats. Hormones and Behavior.
• Uban, K. A., Bodnar T., Butts K., Sliwowska J.H. , Comeau W.E. & Weinberg J. (2010). Direct and indirect mechanisms of alcohol teratogenesis: Implications for understanding alterations in brain and behaviour in FASD. In: Riley, E.P., Clarren, S., Weinberg, J. & Johnson, E. (Eds). Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. A Health Policy Perspective. Weinheim, Germany: Wiley-VCH Verlag Gmbh & Co KGaA.
• Nettles C., Benotsch E. G. & Uban, K. A. (2009). Sexual risk behaviors among men who have sex with men using erectile dysfunction medications. AIDS Patient Care and STDs. Vol. 23(12): 1017-1023.
• Allen, R.A., Uban, K. A., Atwood, E. M., Albeck, D. S., &Yamamoto, D.J., (2007). Continuous intracerebroventricular infusion of the competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, LY235959, facilitates escalation of cocaine self-administration and increases break point for cocaine in Sprague-Dawley rats; Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2007 Nov; 88 (1): 82-8. ...abstract on PubMed

Selected Abstracts and Presentations

• Uban KA., Poursoltani F., Galea LAM. & Weinberg J. (2010). The effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on cross-sensitization between d-amphetamine and stress in male and female rats. 669.3; Society for Neuroscience Abstracts
• Uban KA., Sliwowska JH., Leiblich S., Galea LAM. & Weinberg J. (2009). Adult Neurogenesis in the Female: Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Stress. Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res. 33:133A.
• Butts K., Uban KA., Ahn S., Yu W., So K., Weinberg J., Young AH., Phillips AG. (2009). Stress-evoked dopamine release is altered in the medial prefrontal cortex of rats prenatally exposed to alcohol: Implications for hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation in depression. Poster; The 3rd Annual Canadian Neuroscience Meeting: Vancouver, Canada.
• Uban KA., Dionela W., Comeau W., Bauermeister C., Poursoltani F., Ellis L., Yu W., Galea LAM., Weinberg J. (2009). Neurobiological Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Stress: a potential pathway to vulnerability to substance use problems. Poster; The 8th Annual Fetal Alcohol Canadian Expertise Research Roundtable: Toronto, ON.
• Uban KA., Comeau W., Dionela W., Bauermeister C., Ellis L., Yu W., Galea LAM., Weinberg J. (2009). Region specific effects of stress on corticotropin-releasing hormone mRNA levels following prenatal alcohol exposure. 776.12; Society for Neuroscience Abstracts
• Uban KA., Rummel J., Li CM., Ghods-Sharrif S., Floresco SB., and Galea LAM. (2008). Estradiol moderates effort-based decision making in female rats. Poster; The 12th Annual Meeting: Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology Conference, July 2008, Groningen, Netherlands.
• Uban, K.A., Sliwowska, J.H., Galea, L.A.M. & Weinberg, J., (2007). The Effect of Prenatal Ethanol Exposure on Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Modulation of Stress in the Female Rat. Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology Conference Abstracts (Monterey, CA).
• Allen, R.A., Uban, K. A., Atwood, B. (2006). Continuous intracerebroventricular administration of the competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist, LY235959, facilitates escalation of cocaine self-administration and leads to increases in break point when rats self-administer cocaine in long-access schedules of reinforcement. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts (Atlanta, GA, 2006).
• Benotsch, E.G., Nettles, C.D., & Uban, K. (2006). Methamphetamine use and high-risk sexual behavior in men who have sex with men. American Psychological Society Convention (New York, NY).

Other Pursuits and Interests
In addition to pursuing a career in addiction research, I also love teaching. Outside of academia, I fill my time with skiing, concerts, hiking, surfing, beach volleyball, piano, dancing - and my favorite of all, hanging out with family and friends.

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