Addiction involves complex brain circuitry that regulates reward, motivation, and behavioral reinforcement.
Despite decades of extensive research, the mechanisms underlying addiction remain incompletely understood. However, advancements in cutting-edge research techniques have allowed addiction biology to thrive, yielding unprecedented data and models for a deeper understanding of addiction and substance use disorders.
Our faculty employ a diverse array of experimental and analytical tools, investigating interventions for, and the neurobiological mechanisms underlying, a variety of substance use disorders including tobacco, opioid, alcohol, food, and psychedelics, applied across multiple animal models and in humans. The ultimate goal of these studies is to enhance our understanding of addiction's biological basis, paving the way for improved prevention and treatment strategies.
Leadership
Ellen Eaton, M.D., M.S.P.H., F.I.D.S.A.
Program Lead
Director of the NIH-funded HIV and Addiction Training (HEAT) Program
Director of the UAB Addiction, Infection, Clinical Care and Research Training (ART) Program
eeaton@uab.edu