The overarching goal of the Melón lab is to discover neurobiological mechanisms that drive sex differences in the development of disorders associated with alcohol exposure. We take an interdisciplinary and systems neuroscience approach to achieving this goal, exploring the interplay of hormones, genes, and circuits in the maturation of inhibitory signaling in the brain. As fidelity of this inhibitory connectome is integral for a variety of behaviors and biological processes (including emotional regulation, social behavior and fertility), the system is dynamic, responding to changes in endogenous cues like hormones, as well as environmental factors like alcohol. We combine novel tools in genetics, pharmacology and neurophysiology with foundational behavioral neuroscience approaches to understand how these endogenous and environmental factors interact to induce plasticity in this inhibitory connectome to result in sex specific outcomes.