18 Sep Meet Monell: Sam Bacharach on the Brain Systems That Influence Eating Behavior
Dr. Sam Bacharach has always been fascinated by reward and motivation–particularly how the brain drives the behaviors that lead us toward the things we value. During his first year of college, a course on the neural basis of addiction introduced him to behavioral neuroscience and sparked an interest that would shape his career.
Dr. Sam Bacharach
That question ultimately led him to Monell Chemical Senses Center, where he is now a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Dr. Amber Alhadeff. At Monell, he has brought together his interests in reward and motivation with a longstanding curiosity about the senses, studying the brain systems that influence why we eat what we eat.
Bacharach’s research centers on a familiar experience: food seems especially appealing when we’re hungry.
His work examines how the brain’s homeostatic and reward systems interact. One system signals that the body needs energy, while the other helps motivate us toward rewarding experiences. Bacharach is interested in how hunger influences the reward system and increases our motivation to eat.
“This process, I think, highlights two fundamental reasons why we eat,” he explains. “One, there’s a homeostatic need. A second major reason why we eat is because food tastes good.”
Understanding how these systems work together helps researchers understand what happens when that relationship becomes dysregulated, including in obesity, eating disorders, stress, and anxiety.
For Bacharach, answering these questions starts with basic science.
His research is at the beginning of the scientific pipeline, focused on understanding the fundamental neural circuits involved in hunger, reward, and motivation. That foundational knowledge could eventually help identify new targets for therapies and improve our understanding of why certain treatments work for some people but not others.
“You have to understand at a very basic level how things are operating,” he says. “That creates the knowledge that future discoveries and treatments can build upon.”
One of the things that drew Bacharach to Monell was the opportunity to work alongside scientists approaching similar questions from different perspectives.
As a behavioral neuroscientist, he has been able to collaborate with researchers studying sensory systems and gut-brain interactions. Those collaborations have introduced him to new techniques and perspectives while allowing him to contribute his own expertise.
Bacharach’s commitment to science extends beyond his own research. He has also served as a mentor through the Dr. Charis Eng Monell Science Apprenticeship Program (MSAP), a summer program that gives high school and undergraduate students interested in careers in science the opportunity to train with and work alongside Monell scientists to solve real research questions.
For many students, the program provides their first experience in a professional laboratory. Bacharach enjoys watching students become more confident as they learn how scientists think, conduct research, and communicate their ideas.
“It’s very rewarding to see them come in and develop confidence over the summer,” he says.
Bacharach was also drawn to Monell by its reputation for having a close-knit culture. People who had previously worked at Monell described it as a place where they felt they belonged.
“I had heard of Monell before, and they always spoke so affectionately about it,” Bacharach says. “It really seemed like a family.”
After four years at Monell, Bacharach sees the Center as more than a place to conduct research. It is a place where fundamental questions about the senses, brain, and body can lead to a deeper understanding of human health, and where scientists at every stage of their careers can learn from one another along the way.
“Monell to me is a family, and it’s going to be a lifelong family.”