Rate My Professor Anna Lee

Anna Lee, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Twin Cities. She serves as Director of Graduate Studies for the Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics (MPaT) graduate program, faculty in the MS and PhD programs in MPaT, and faculty in the Graduate Program in Neuroscience (GPN). Dr. Lee earned her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Minnesota, joined the faculty as an assistant professor in 2015, and was promoted to associate professor with tenure. Her research laboratory is located at 3-136 Nils Hasselmo Hall, 312 Church Street SE, Minneapolis.

The research in Dr. Lee's laboratory elucidates the molecular basis of behavior, focusing on neuropharmacology of drug addiction and behavior. She studies mechanisms mediating alcohol and nicotine addiction separately and in co-addiction to identify new treatment targets. Employing molecular and behavioral tools including transgenic mouse models, viral genetic manipulations, pharmacological agents, and behavioral assays in mouse models of drug addiction, her work centers on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) expressed on presynaptic terminals and neuronal cell bodies that modulate neurotransmission and neural circuits implicated in addiction. Specific projects investigate cholinergic regulation of alcohol aversion and identification of involved neuronal circuits and nAChR subtypes, sex-dependent regulation of α6 and β3 nAChR gene expression by protein kinase Cε and sex hormones leading to oppositional addiction-related behaviors in males versus females, and altered abuse liability of electronic cigarette liquids modulated by flavor compounds. Key publications include "Flavor compounds found in electronic cigarette liquids differentially enhance voluntary nicotine consumption and preference in mice" (Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2025); "Expression pattern of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit transcripts in neurons and astrocytes in the ventral tegmental area and locus coeruleus" (European Journal of Neuroscience, 2023); "Sex differences in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor system of rodents: Impacts on nicotine and alcohol reward behaviors" (Frontiers in Neuroscience, 2021); "Protein kinase C epsilon phosphorylates α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and promotes recovery from desensitization" (British Journal of Pharmacology, 2015); and "Deletion of Prkcz increases intermittent ethanol consumption in mice" (Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 2014). Dr. Lee trains the next generation of neuroscientists and pharmacologists through graduate student mentorship, with current and former students including Sarah Mulloy, Rachel Schorn, Margot DeBaker, Amelia Schneider, and Janna Moen.