Open To Work
Verified
This profile is verified using an email address.
MIGUEL DURAN
Birmingham,AL
Summary
Ph.D. neuroscientist with expertise in behavioral pharmacology, specializing in neural circuits governing feeding behavior. Secured NIH F31 fellowship funding and led research elucidating central amygdala neuron populations in appetite regulation, contributing to advancements in obesity therapies. Authored multiple publications and mentored junior researchers.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, USA
08.2020 - Current
- Conceived, wrote, and secured a competitive NIH/NIDDK F31 predoctoral fellowship (~$40K) as principal investigator.
- Wrote and secured an administrative research and diversity supplement (~$3K) to parent RO3 grant (~$99K) as graduate trainee.
- Led the first population-level dissection of how genetically defined central amygdala (CeA) neurons gate GLP-1 receptor agonist–induced appetite suppression, using chemogenetic loss-of-function across four Cre-driver lines and identifying Prkcd⁺ neurons as the dominant driver.
- Established in vivo fiber photometry recordings to demonstrate recruitment of GABAergic CeA neurons by peripheral exendin-4 in a receptor-dependent manner.
- Demonstrated modulation of palatable high-fat intake by GLP-1R+ CeA neurons, dissociating hedonic and homeostatic feeding control.
- Designed rigorously controlled, sex-balanced studies with appropriate statistics and transparent handling of normalization and control confounds.
- Authored first-author research manuscript (Molecular Metabolism, 2026) and invited review (Endocrinology, 2025), while co-authoring a collaborative manuscript in preparation for Cell
- Showcased research findings at multiple conferences, such as the Society for Neuroscience and the American Diabetes Association scientific sessions.
- Trained and mentored ~10 junior researchers in stereotaxic surgery, behavioral paradigms, and data analysis, fostering skill development and research competence.
Post-Baccalaureate Researcher — UAB PREP Scholars Program
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, USA
08.2019 - 05.2020
- Conducted year-long mentored bench research on O-GlcNAcylation abnormalities in schizophrenia using western blotting in postmortem human brain tissue, contributing to understanding of disease mechanisms and preparation for doctoral studies.
Education
Ph.D. - Neuroscience — Graduate Biomedical Sciences Program
University of Alabama At Birmingham
Birmingham, AL06-2026
Bachelor of Science - Biology
Troy University
Dothan, AL05-2019
Skills
- Stereotaxic surgery
- Intracranial AAV delivery
- Fiber-optic implantation
- Chemogenetics
- DREADDs
- In vivo fiber photometry
- Optogenetics
- FlpO/Cre systems
- Drug administration
- Transcardial perfusion
- Behavioral analysis
- Western blotting
- Immunohistochemistry
- Immunofluorescence
- Fluorescence microscopy
- Cryosectioning
- Viral-expression verification
- Experimental design
- GraphPad Prism
- Python
- ImageJ
- Excel
- Adobe Illustrator
- Repeated-measures ANOVA
- Mixed-effects models
- AUC analysis
- Cross-session normalization
- Technical writing
- Manuscript development
- Grant writing
- Training
- Presentation skills
Honors And Funding
- NIH/NIDDK, Ruth L. Kirschstein F31 Predoctoral Fellowship, Principal Investigator, 1F31DK138767-01
- NIH/NIDDK, Administrative Research & Diversity Supplement, Graduate Trainee, R03 DK129561 – 01
- UAB Diabetes Research Center Graduate Student Travel Award
- 1st Place Poster, UAB Psychiatry Research Symposium
- Phi Kappa Phi Scholar
- Ronald E. McNair Scholar
Selected Publications
- Duran M, Zeng N, Cutts EJ, Habegger K, Hardaway JA, The central amygdala gates exogenous glucagon-like peptide 1 signals, Molecular Metabolism, 2026
- Duran M, Willis JR, Dalvi N, Fokakis Z, Virkus SA, Hardaway JA, Integration of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor actions through the central amygdala, Endocrinology, 2025, PMC11850305
- Zeng N, Cutts EJ, Lopez CB, Kaur S, Duran M, Virkus SA, Hardaway JA, Anatomical and functional characterization of central amygdala GLP-1 receptor–expressing neurons, Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 2021, PMC8739476
Selected Presentations
- Duran M, Hardaway JA, Functional and behavioral dynamics of GLP-1 receptors in the central amygdala, Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, 2024, Poster
- Duran M, Hardaway JA, Functional and behavioral dynamics of GLP-1 receptors in the central amygdala, American Diabetes Association 84th Scientific Sessions, Orlando, FL, 2024, Poster
- Duran M, et al., Activity of brainstem glucagon neurons is modulated by energy state and encodes sex- and frequency-dependent negative valence, Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior, Portland, OR, 2023, Oral
Professional Memberships And Service
Society for Neuroscience, American Diabetes Association, Society for the Study of Ingestive Behaviors
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
swipe to browse