New Publication

We’ve all heard stories about the opioid crisis, but one of the biggest mysteries remains: why can two people take the same dose of a painkiller, yet only one of them ends up struggling with addiction? While we know that individual risk varies wildly, identifying why one person transitions to dependency while another remains resilient is incredibly difficult because human lives are full of outside influences. In our latest study published in Neuropsychopharmacology , we condu

Why do some people become addicted to cocaine more quickly than others? For decades, scientists have debated whether addiction is driven by sensitization of the psychomotor effect of the drug (getting a bigger effect of the drug over time), sensitization of the motivational effects of the cues (incentive salience) or tolerance to the psychomotor effect of the drug (needing more of the drug to get the same effect). Our latest study using advanced machine vision and genetica

Sleep and circadian rhythm disruptions are some of the most common and frustrating symptoms of opioid use disorder. Many people in recovery struggle with insomnia or find that their internal biological clock is completely out of sync. In our latest study in collaboration tithe the Logan lab, we looked at a tiny but powerful region of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) , which acts as the body's master clock, to see exactly how oxycodone rewires it. The Big Que

The ongoing opioid crisis remains a critical public health emergency, and understanding how these drugs change the body is vital for developing better diagnostics and treatments. While we know much about how opioids affect the brain, their impact on the rest of the body, specifically the chemicals circulating in our blood, is less clear. In our latest study in collaboration with the Saba and Kechris Labs , we used an advanced technique called untargeted metabolomics to ident

Opioid use disorder (OUD) has grown into a severe global health emergency, yet long term abstinence remains an elusive goal for many. One major reason is that chronic opioid use leaves lasting marks on the brain that persist long after someone stops using. In our latest study, we used advanced genetic sequencing to compare the molecular changes in the human brain with those in animal models to find common "signatures" of addiction. The Big Question We wanted to know if the ch

In our latest review paper, we explore the deep biological links between stress and nicotine addiction. This work is especially meaningful as it is dedicated to the honor of Dr. Klaus Miczek, a true pioneer in the field who recently passed away. I personally loved interacting with him, and his groundbreaking work on the neurobiology of social stress continues to inspire our research. The Big Question We wanted to synthesize how stress, particularly social defeat stress, acts

We often hear that nicotine is a powerful appetite suppressant. This is why many long term smokers find it difficult to quit, fearing the weight gain that often follows. However, our recent study has uncovered a fascinating paradox: while nicotine might help keep weight off in the long run, an acute dose of nicotine actually makes some individuals want to eat more right away. The Big Question We set out to investigate why nicotine has these two opposite effects on feeding beh

When we look at addiction, we often wonder if different behaviors like taking more of a drug over time, working harder to get it, or continuing to use it despite bad consequences are separate problems or part of one bigger issue. For a long time, researchers treated these as independent traits. However, in our latest study involving nearly 500 genetically diverse subjects, we found that these behaviors actually point back to a single core addiction construct. The Big Question

We often think of nicotine as something that kills your appetite. While it is true that long term smoking can lead to weight loss, some people find that they actually feel a strange surge of hunger right after a cigarette. In our recent study, we explored this "paradoxical hunger" and discovered that nicotine interferes with the body's hormonal signals for fullness. The Big Question We wanted to understand why acute nicotine intake—meaning a single dose—causes a temporary inc

In the world of neuroscience, observing how behavior changes over time is a cornerstone of understanding the brain. Whether we are studying addiction, learning, or social interaction, capturing every movement of a subject can reveal patterns that the human eye might miss. However, setting up a high-quality video recording system for dozens of subjects at once has historically been incredibly expensive and technically difficult. In our latest study, we introduced a solution th

Cocaine use disorder is a devastating public health crisis, yet we currently have no FDA approved medications to help people maintain long term recovery. One of the greatest challenges in treating addiction is preventing relapse, which often occurs after long periods of being clean. In our recent study in collaboration with the Kiraly lab, we explored a surprising new frontier in addiction research: the gut microbiome. We discovered that the bacteria living in the gut, and th

Drug addiction is a complex struggle that involves powerful memories and intense emotions. While we know the brain’s reward system is involved, we are still learning how specific cells within the brain's emotional center, the amygdala , change during addiction. In our recent study with the Telese lab at UCSD, we used cutting-edge technology to look at individual cells in the amygdala to see how they differ between those who are highly vulnerable to addiction and those who are

We are constantly searching for new ways to treat alcohol use disorder (AUD), a condition that affects millions of people and leads to significant health and economic costs. Recently, a type of drug called a PPAR-alpha agonist showed great promise in animal studies, significantly reducing alcohol consumption in mice and rats. In our latest research, we performed a "reverse translational" study to understand why these exciting results didn't carry over to humans in a clinical

Cocaine use disorder is a major public health crisis with significant social and economic costs, yet there are currently no FDA-approved medications to treat it. While genetics certainly play a role in addiction, they do not tell the whole story. In our recent study, we explored the "missing heritability" of addiction by looking at epigenetics , specifically microRNAs (miRNAs) , to see how they change the brain during the difficult periods of withdrawal and long-term abstinen

Smoking remains a massive global health crisis, causing one in ten deaths worldwide. While many people want to quit, the intense grip of nicotine addiction makes it incredibly difficult, with roughly 80% of attempts ending in relapse. In our latest study with the Bardwell lab at HHMI, we used the power of "directed evolution" to supercharge a bacterial enzyme that can eat nicotine in the blood before it ever reaches the brain. The Big Question We focused on an enzyme called N

The opioid epidemic remains a critical public health crisis, fueled in part by the widespread prescription of medications like oxycodone. While these drugs are effective for pain, they carry a high risk for addiction and dangerous side effects like respiratory depression. In our recent study with the de Guglielmo lab, we explored how genetic background and sex influence the way the body processes oxycodone and the development of addiction like behaviors. The Big Question We s

When we study alcohol addiction, we often look at how the brain responds after long periods of heavy use. For years, the standard way to study this in the lab was through "forced" exposure, where subjects are passively given alcohol to reach high levels in their bloodstream. However, we recently developed a new way to look at this process by allowing subjects to choose when and how much alcohol vapor they breathe in, a model we call Ethanol Vapor Self-Administration (EVSA) .

When we talk about drug addiction, we often focus on behavior or the chemistry of "feeling good." But beneath the surface, there is a complex battle happening in the brain’s immune system. Interestingly, this battle doesn’t look the same for everyone. For years, we have noticed that men and women face different challenges with cocaine use disorders, from how quickly they become addicted to how easily they escalate their use and relapse. In our recent study, we uncovered a pot

Nicotine withdrawal is often the biggest hurdle for people trying to quit smoking, yet we still don't fully understand how the brain's internal communication networks change when the drug is removed. Our latest research, published in eNeuro , used advanced whole brain imaging to reveal that nicotine withdrawal doesn't just affect one area; it triggers a massive reorganization of two major cholinergic systems that act as long range hotlines for brain communication. The Questio

The complexity of addiction is often hidden within the intricate wiring of our brains. In our latest book chapter, a collaboration with researchers at UC San Diego and Miami University, we dive deep into the specific circuits of the amygdala to understand how they drive the three stages of addiction: binge and intoxication, withdrawal and negative affect, and preoccupation and anticipation. The Question: How Do Amygdalar Circuits Drive Addiction? The amygdala is not a single