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Photograph of Maria Gomez

Maria Gomez Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer 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
Psychology Department
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.  In particular, she is interested on how this interaction affects drug susceptibility.  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

       
  • Kearns, D.N.., Gomez-Serrano, M.A., Weiss, M.J., Riley, A.L.  Differences between Lewis and Fisher rat strains in autoshaping (Sign-tracking).  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.

 

 

Selected Publications

       
  • 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.