How new affiliate Nikki Crowley is advancing prevention through brain science
nikki
March 24, 2026
By Teresa Phelan
For Nikki Crowley, understanding the brain isn't just a scientific challenge; it's become a pathway to prevention.
Crowley, the director of the Penn State Neuroscience Institute – University Park, associate professor of biology and Huck Chair in Neural Engineering, focuses on a central question: how do experiences like alcohol use, stress, and exposure to substances change the brain, and how do these changes lead to long-term harm?
Her lab investigates how brain states and neural connections evolve across the lifespan. By examining how these systems respond to things like alcohol exposure, she hopes to pinpoint signals that predict whether casual alcohol use might escalate into a disorder.
"We're really interested in identifying the very precise molecular states that might predict whether alcohol consumption becomes a use disorder or stays casual," Crowley said.
Crowley's path to neuroscience began with an interest in mental health. As a psychology student, she was fascinated by disorders like depression, anxiety and addiction, but noticed a major gap between diagnosis and treatment.
"It felt like there was this big black box between identifying a mental health disorder and knowing whether a treatment would work. And that black box is the brain."
– Nikki Crowley, the director of the Penn State Neuroscience Institute – University Park, associate professor of biology and Huck Chair in Neural Engineering
Much of Crowley's work uses animal models to explore questions that can't be easily or ethically answered in humans.
Every experiment must pass through a review process known as IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees) which evaluates the scientific value and ethical standards of the research.
While animal models allow researchers to isolate variables that are difficult to study in human populations, they remove real-world complexities that influence human behavior.
"We're not in this line of work to solve the mouse brain," Crowley said. "We're trying to solve biological questions that benefit human health."
That's where collaboration becomes essential. Crowley sees enormous potential in partnerships between basic scientists and prevention researchers.
"When you open the doors between those groups, the exchange of information becomes exponentially more valuable," she says. "It's not just additive—it's synergistic."
How new affiliate Nikki Crowley is advancing prevention through brain science
nikki
March 24, 2026
By Teresa Phelan
For Nikki Crowley, understanding the brain isn't just a scientific challenge; it's become a pathway to prevention.
Crowley, the director of the Penn State Neuroscience Institute – University Park, associate professor of biology and Huck Chair in Neural Engineering, focuses on a central question: how do experiences like alcohol use, stress, and exposure to substances change the brain, and how do these changes lead to long-term harm?
Her lab investigates how brain states and neural connections evolve across the lifespan. By examining how these systems respond to things like alcohol exposure, she hopes to pinpoint signals that predict whether casual alcohol use might escalate into a disorder.
"We're really interested in identifying the very precise molecular states that might predict whether alcohol consumption becomes a use disorder or stays casual," Crowley said.
Crowley's path to neuroscience began with an interest in mental health. As a psychology student, she was fascinated by disorders like depression, anxiety and addiction, but noticed a major gap between diagnosis and treatment.
"It felt like there was this big black box between identifying a mental health disorder and knowing whether a treatment would work. And that black box is the brain."
– Nikki Crowley, the director of the Penn State Neuroscience Institute – University Park, associate professor of biology and Huck Chair in Neural Engineering
Much of Crowley's work uses animal models to explore questions that can't be easily or ethically answered in humans.
Every experiment must pass through a review process known as IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees) which evaluates the scientific value and ethical standards of the research.
While animal models allow researchers to isolate variables that are difficult to study in human populations, they remove real-world complexities that influence human behavior.
"We're not in this line of work to solve the mouse brain," Crowley said. "We're trying to solve biological questions that benefit human health."
That's where collaboration becomes essential. Crowley sees enormous potential in partnerships between basic scientists and prevention researchers.
"When you open the doors between those groups, the exchange of information becomes exponentially more valuable," she says. "It's not just additive—it's synergistic."
