Skip Navigation

Link to  the National Institutes of Health NIDA NEWS NIDA News RSS Feed
The Science of Drug Abuse and Addiction from the National Institute on Drug Abuse Keep Your Body Healthy
Go to the Home pageGo to the About Nida pageGo to the News pageGo to the Meetings & Events pageGo to the Funding pageGo to the Publications page
PhysiciansResearchersParents/TeachersStudents/Young AdultsEn Español Drugs of Abuse & Related Topics

NIDA Home > Researchers and Health Professionals > Past Meetings Summaries    

Virtual Reality: Opportunities for the NIH



Lister Hill Auditorium
February 24, 2004

NIDA Organizer(s): Nathan Appel Ph.D., Ro Nemeth-Coslett Ph.D., Dave Thomas Ph.D.

Purpose & Intent

This meeting was designed to introduce virtual reality (VR) technologies to the greater NIH research community, as well as to highlight some recent data studying craving using VR.

Meeting Outcome

The number of NIH employees currently involved in conducting or promoting VR research is relatively low at this time point. This meeting served as a vehicle to initiate interactions on this topic of interested NIH staff. It also allowed NIDA to highlight some important recent findings related to craving that were obtained using VR technologies. Lastly, this meeting helped illustrate the multitude of applications that VR has to an array of medical applications.

Expected Follow-up

The goal of this meeting was to promote the use of VR technologies throughout the NIH. Various cross-institutional initiatives will likely follow. The ultimate goal for NIDA is to build a foundation of basic VR research, and to develop drug abuse treatment, prevention and education programs that use VR.

Resulting Publications

A number of news reporters were at this meeting. An article came out in the March issue of “The Washingtonian” where this technology was described and several of this meetings organizers were interviewed. Further, based on the press we have gotten, we are continuing to get requests to do interviews on medical applications of VR technologies. It is expected that this positive press will raise awareness of this technology as a medical treatment in general, and as a drug abuse treatment, prevention and education tool in particular.

Participants List

JoAnn Difede, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Director Program for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Studies
Department of Psychiatry

Weill Medical College of Cornell University
P.O. Box 200
525 East 68th Street
New York, NY 10021
Phone: 212-746-3079
Fax: 212-821-0994
E-mail: jdifede@med.cornell.edu

Walter J. Greenleaf, Ph.D.
President
Greenleaf Medical

Suite 409
261 Hamilton Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94028
Phone: 650-289-1030
Fax: 650-745-1386
E-mail: walter@greenleafmed.com

Hunter G. Hoffman, Ph.D.
Director
HITLab VR Analgesia Research Center

Fluke Hall Room 215
P.O. Box 352142
215 Fluke Hall
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195
Phone: 206-616-1496
Fax: 206-543-5380
E-mail: hunter@hitl.washington.edu

Giuseppe Riva, Ph.D.
Professor
Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab
Instituto Auxologico Italiano

Via Balilla 40
Milan 20136
Italy
Phone: (+39) 02-58216726
Fax: (+39) 02-70034918
E-mail: auxo.psylab@auxologico.it

Albert "Skip" Rizzo, Ph.D.
Director
Virtual Environments Laboratory
Research Professor
Integrated Media Systems Center
University of Southern California

3740 McClintock Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90089
Phone: 213-740-9819
Fax: 213-740-5807
E-mail: arizzo@usc.edu

Barbara O. Rothbaum, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Director
Trauma and Anxiety Recovery Program
Emory University School of Medicine
1365 Clifton Road, NE
Atlanta, GA 30322
Phone: 404-778-3875
Fax: 404-778-4655
E-mail: brothba@emory.edu

Brenda K. Wiederhold, Ph.D., M.B.A.

Executive Director
The Virtual Reality Medical Center

Suite 155
6160 Cornerstone Court, East
San Diego, CA 92121
Phone: 858-642-0267
Fax: 858-642-0285
E-mail: bwiederhold@vrphobia.com

Mark D. Wiederhold, M.D., Ph.D.
President
The Virtual Reality Medical Center

Suite 161
6160 Cornerstone Court, East
San Diego, CA 92121
Phone: 858-642-0267
Fax: 858-642-0285
E-mail: mwiederhold@vrphobia.com

Organizing Committee

Nathan M. Appel, Ph.D.
Director
Methamphetamine Treatment Discovery Program
Division of Treatment Research and Development
National Institute on Drug Abuse
National Institutes of Health

Room 4123, MSC-9551
6001 Executive Boulevard
Bethesda, MD 20892-9551
Phone: 301-443-8475
Fax: 301-443-2599
E-mail: nathan.appel@nida.nih.gov

Rosemarie Nemeth-Coslett, Ph.D.
Psychologist
Clinical Neurobiology Branch
Division of Treatment Research Development
National Institute on Drug Abuse
National Institutes of Health

Room 4123
6001 Executive Boulevard
Bethesda, MD 20892
Phone: 301-402-1746
Fax: 301-443-2599
E-mail: rnemeth@nida.nih.gov

David A. Thomas, Ph.D.
Co-Chair
Translationally Oriented Approaches, Devices, and Strategies Workshop
Translational Research Branch
Division of Neuroscience and Behavioral Research
National Institute on Drug Abuse
National Institutes of Health

Room 4287, MSC 9555
6001 Executive Boulevard
Bethesda, MD 20892
Phone: 301-443-6975
Fax: 301-594-6043
E-mail: dthomas1@nida.nih.gov


What's New Contents



NIDA Home | Site Map | Search | FAQs | Accessibility | Privacy | FOIA (NIH) | Employment | Print Version


National Institutes of Health logo_Department of Health and Human Services Logo The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) , a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Questions? See our Contact Information. Last updated on Tuesday, July 22, 2008. The U.S. government's official web portal