Presenting Author
Wake Forest School of Medicine
I am a behavioral pharmacologist and neuroscientist with 25+ years of experience conducting research using nonhuman primate models of substance use disorders with a focus on cocaine, alcohol and the combinaiton thereof. My research uses behavioral procedures, including drug self-administration, and non-invasive brain imaging techniques, including MRI and PET, to characterize the effects of long-term drug use on the brain. Other major research areas are characterization of behavioral, neurobiological and environmental factors that predispose individuals to substance abuse and development of novel medications. I have been heavily involved in recruiting, educating and training PhD, MS, MD and MD/PhD students during my years at the Wake Forest School of Medicine, including serving currently as Director of the Integrative Physiology & Pharmacology (IPP) PhD Program.