PHILADELPHIA –- Tracy Bale of the University of Pennsylvania has received a 2008 Career Development Award from the Society for Neuroscience.

Bale is an assistant professor in the departments of Animal Biology at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Psychiatry at the School of Medicine.

Her research investigates the interface of sex differences in stress and disease, including affective disorders and obesity. Using genetic mouse models to selectively target specific aspects of the question, with analysis of behavioral, molecular and biochemical markers, Bale is systematically determining the neurocircuitry involved in stress-related disease such as obesity and depression in both males and females.

The prize, recognizing achievement and promise in neuroscience for early career professionals, is supported by Merck & Co. Inc.

The Society for Neuroscience, an organization of more than 38,000 basic scientists and clinicians who study the brain and nervous system, represents the world’s largest source of emerging news on brain science and health.

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