09.6.2023 Dr. Michael Miles was awarded the VCU University Award of Excellence at Faculty Convocation.
8.17.2023 Walker Rogers (Miles Lab) awarded an F31 to study the causal mechanisms of ethanol-induced analgesia in BXD recombinant inbred mouse lines
4.27.2023 Zach Tatom (Miles Lab) awarded an F31 to study genetic and transcriptomic mechanisms of progressive ethanol consumption in the Diversity Outbred (DO) mouse
04.1.2023 Drs. Michael Miles and Brien Rileyhave been awarded a T32 Institutional National Research Service Award (NIAAA) to support cross-species multidisciplinary training in alcohol research. The cross-species academic scope of the 5-year grant will include a 2 year, monthly Foundations of Alcohol Research lecture series, monthly research seminars in VCU ARC, a trainee-led alcohol research journal club, rigorous departmental-specific core courses and advanced electives, a high level of collaboration among mentors to include reciprocal service on thesis committees, multiple excellent seminar series, and required attendance at national or international alcohol research meetings. Multiple active VCU initiatives will increase diversity of trainees, augment retention of under-represented minority faculty and enhance mentor training.
11.7.2022 Dr. Jonathan Lindsay (Bettinger lab) published his F32-funded (NIAAA) research on defining a circuit and its signaling components for ethanol-induced state-dependent olfactory learning in C. elegans in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA.
10.1.2022 Emma Gnatowski (Miles Lab) awarded an F31 to study the role of the Ninein gene in modulating the anxiety-reducing properties of ethanol in a mouse model
9.25.2022 Emily Brocato (Wolstenholme Lab) awarded an F31 to study epigenetic effects of adolescent alcohol binge-drinking
6.29.2022 Congratulations to Ms. Sam Gottlieb (PhD candidate in the Miles Lab) for receipt of an Enoch Gordis Research Recognition Award in the Biological/Preclinical Student category at the 2022 Research Society on Alcoholism Meeting in Orlando, Florida.
5.25.2022 Sam Gottlieb (Miles Lab) awarded an F31 to study the role of GSK3beta in progressive alcohol consumption
8.30.2021 Dr. Danielle Dick is co-Senior author of a paper published in Nature Neuroscience that identifies more than 500 loci linked to externalizing behaviors in humans.
10.16.2020 VCU is ranked in the Top 10 (8th) of institutions for research funding from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
6.25.2020 Dr. Michael Miles was elected to the position of President Elect for Research Society on Alcoholism, a 1-year posiiton. In June 2021, he will become President of RSA.
6.01.2020 NIAAA has renewed the VCU Alcohol Research Center P50 Center grant with Dr. Michael Miles as Center Director.
5.20.2019 Dr. Alexis Edwards (VCU) awarded an R01 grant to study the association between alcohol and drug use and suicide.
10.11.2018 A study by van der Vaart et al. on GSK3beta and ethanol consumption and genetic association with alcohol dependence is considered a Research Highlight in the journal Neuropsychopharacology.
9.25.2018 Ms. Kristen Lee (Grotewiel Lab) awarded an F31 to study the role of glia in sedation in Drosophila.
9.06.2018 Mr. Andrew van der Vaart, along with VCU-ARC investigators Drs. Danielle Dick (Project 5 PI), Jennifer Wolstenholme (Rodent Behavioral Core PI) and Michael Miles (Scientific Director, Project 1 PI), publish their study in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology describing the regulation of ethanol consumption by glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3beta) and the association of variation in a GSK3Beta-centric gene set with alcohol dependence in a human GWAS study.
6.13.2018 Dr. Jennifer Wolstenholme (VCU-ARC Rodent Behavioral Core PI) awarded an R01 grant to study histone methylation as an underlying mechanism of myelin deficits and behavioral effects stemming from adolescent binge alcohol episodes
5.22.2018 Dr. Jennifer Wolstenholme (VCU-ARC Rodent Behavioral Core PI) and Dr. Jill Bettinger (Project 2 Co-I) publish a study on the effect of dietary omega-3 fatty acids on ethanol behaviors and consumption in mice in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.
07.01.17 Dr. Jennifer Wolstenholme (VCU-ARC Rodent Behavioral Core PI) and Dr. Mike Grotewiel (Project 3 PI) have been awarded a VCU Presidential Research Quest Award for their project entitled "Effects of nutritional supplementation on ethanol-responsive behaviors".
04.01.17 April is Alcohol Awareness Month #AlcoholAwarenessMonth
02.22.17 The journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research published a study by Dr. Brien Riley and multiple VCU-ARC investigators entitled "Genomewide Association Study of Alcohol Dependence Identifies Risk Loci Altering Ethanol-Response Behaviors in Model Organisms"
01.01.17 The journal Methods in Molecular Biology published a paper by Dr. James Bogenpohl (Miles lab) and colleagues entitled "Integrative analysis of genetic, genomic and phenotypic data for ethanol behaviors: a network-based pipeline for identifying mechanisms and potential drug targets."
11.01.16 The journal Alcohol published a paper by Andrew van der Vaart (Miles lab) and colleagues entitled "The allostatic impact of chronic ethanol on gene expression: a genetic analysis of chronic intermittent ethanol treatment in the BXD cohort."
09.25.16 Guy Harris (Miles Lab) received funding for his F30 NRSA application (F30 AA025535) entitled: “Modulation of frontal cortex Ndrg1 and the effects on myelination, ethanol-sensitivity, and ethanol consumption”
08.05.16 Drs. Jill Bettinger and Laura Mathies were awarded an R01 grant (AA024482) entitled "Regulation of responses to alcohol by the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex."
08.01.16 Dr. James Bogenpohl (Miles lab) declined an F32 NRSA awarded by NIAAA and, instead, has accepted a faculty position as Assistant Professor, Dept. of Molecular Biol. and Chemistry, Christopher Newport Univ., Newport News, Virginia
2016 Ms. Kristin Mignogna and Ms. Jessica Jurmain (Miles Lab) both passed their Ph.D. comprehensive exams and were admitted to candidacy
04.15.2016 Dr. Danielle Dick organizes public symposium on young people and substance abuse
02.21.2016 Spit For Science featured in Richmond Times-Dispatch
10.19.2015 Dr. Ken Kendler awarded National Academy of Medicine prize in Mental Health
03.24.2015 Proceedings of the National Academy of Science published findings by Drs. Jill Bettinger and Brien Riley
08.19.2014 VCU receives grant to expand Alcohol Research Center