Jordan Shaker, a Washington University in St. Louis undergraduate student graduating in 2018 with a major in Biology: neuroscience track and a minor in Chemistry, has been selected as this year’s recipient of the Spector prize for the best Undergraduate Research Thesis in biology. Jordan’s thesis work, titled “Endogenous Opioidergic Circuits Involved in Thermoregulation” was based on work he carried out in the Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine working with Dr. Michael Bruchas PhD, Henry Elliot Mallinckrodt Professor of Anesthesiology, and Dr. Aaron Norris MD, PhD. The Spector Prize is awarded is based on the the quality of data, quality of analysis, quality of presentation, and the student’s overall contribution to the work. The Spector prize is awarded each year for the best thesis in biology and is considered to be among the top honors a graduating biology major can earn at Washington University. Jordan’s thesis is fundamentally addresses the mechanism and neural circuits involved in maintaining body temperature in the face of thermal challenges. This work has focused largely on understanding how opioids and their endogenous circuits regulate this at a neurobiological level. Jordan Shaker will be completing a gap year working in the Bruchas lab as a research technician and is applying for MD/PhD programs now. We as a department are excited to have Jordan in the department, and to continue our long standing mission of mentoring talented scientists at all career stages (Undergraduate, Medical-Graduate, Post-Doctoral, and Resident).