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Dr. Nora D. Volkow
NIDA Director |
Nora D. Volkow, M.D., became Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health in May 2003. NIDA supports most of the world's research on the health aspects of drug abuse and addiction.
Dr. Volkow's work has been instrumental in demonstrating that drug addiction is a disease of the human brain. As a research psychiatrist and scientist, Dr. Volkow pioneered the use of brain imaging to investigate the toxic effects of drugs and their addictive properties. Her studies have documented changes in the dopamine system affecting the actions of frontal brain regions involved with motivation, drive, and pleasure and the decline of brain dopamine function with age. She has also made important contributions to the neurobiology of obesity, ADHD, and the behavioral changes that occur with aging.
Dr. Volkow was born in Mexico, attended the Modern American School, and earned her medical degree from the National University of Mexico in Mexico City, where she received the Premio Robins award for best medical student of her generation. Her psychiatric residency was at New York University, where she earned the Laughlin Fellowship Award as one of the 10 Outstanding Psychiatric Residents in the USA.
Dr. Volkow spent most of her professional career at the Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) in Upton, New York, where she held several leadership positions including Director of Nuclear Medicine, Chairman of the Medical Department, and Associate Director for Life Sciences. In addition, Dr. Volkow was a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Associate Dean of the Medical School at the State University of New York (SUNY)-Stony Brook.
Dr. Volkow has published more than 380 peer-reviewed articles and more than 60 book chapters and non-peer reviewed manuscripts, and has also edited three books on the use of neuroimaging in studying mental and addictive disorders.
During her professional career, Dr. Volkow has been the recipient of multiple awards, including her selection for membership in the Institute of Medicine in the National Academy of Sciences. She was recently named one of Time Magazine's "Top 100 People Who Shape our World", and was included as one of the 20 people to watch by Newsweek magazine in its "Who's Next in 2007" feature. She was also named "Innovator of the Year" by U.S. News & World Report in 2000.
Director's Reports to the National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse
Dr. Volkow made her first presentation to the Advisory council in May, 2003
- 2009: February
- 2008: February, May, September
- 2007: February, May, September
- 2006: February, May, September
- 2005: February, May, September
- 2004: February, May, September
- 2003: February, May, September
- 2002: February, May September
- 2001: February, May September
- 2000: February, May September
- 1999: February, May September
- 1998: February, May September
- 1997: February, May September
- 1996: February, May September
- 1995: February, May September
Director's Columns from NIDA NOTES
- Stimulus Money Will Fund a Surge in Knowledge from Volume 22, Number 3. (2009)
- New Vaccines Are Being Developed Against Addiction and Relapse from Volume 22, Number 2. (2008)
- Research Breakthroughs in Drug Abuse Have Wide Applications in Other Fields from Volume 22, Number 1. (2008)
- Neuroscience Blueprint Promotes Efficiency, Synergy from Volume 21, Number 6. (2008)
- Epigenetics: The Promise of a New Science from Volume 21, Number 5. (2008)
- NIDA Will Contribute to Obesity Research from Volume 21, Number 4. (2007)
- Genes and Smoking from Volume 21, Number 3. (2007)
- Addiction and Co-Occurring Mental Disorders from Volume 21, Number 2. (2007)
- Steroid Abuse Is a High-Risk Route to the Finish Line from Volume 21, Number 1. (2006)
- Challenges in HIV/AIDS
Research from Volume 20, Number 6. (2006)
- Research Network Tests Drug Abuse Treatment Following Incarceration from Volume 20, Number 5. (2006)
- Map of Human Genome Opens New Opportunities for Drug Abuse Research from Volume 20, Number 4. (2006)
- Inhalant Abuse: Danger Under the Kitchen Sink from Volume 20, Number 3. (2005)
- NIDA Responds to Changing Drug Abuse Patterns from Volume 20, Number 2. (2005)
- NIDA Intensifies Focus on Marijuana Abuse from Volume 20, Number 1. (2005)
- NIDA Addresses Disparities in the Impact of Drug Abuse and Addiction from Volume 19, Number 6. (2005)
- Confronting the Rise in Abuse of Prescription Drugs from Volume 19, Number 5. (2005)
- Drug-Related Damage That Begins Before Birth from Volume 19, Number 4. (2004)
- Exploring the Why's of Adolescent Drug Abuse from Volume 19, Number 3. (2004)
- NIDA's Brain, Behavior, Health Initiative: Multidisciplinary Exploration of the Brain from Volume 19, Number 2. (2004)
- NIDA at 30: Committed to Scientific Solutions for Drug Addiction Problems from Volume 19, Number 1. (2004)
- Beyond the Brain: The Medical Consequences of Abuse and Addiction from Volume 18, Number 6. (2004)
- The Dual Challenge of Substance Abuse and Mental Disorders from Volume 18, Number 5. (2003)
- The Addicted Brain: Why Such Poor Decisions? from Volume 18, Number 4. (2003)
- Bringing Research and Practice Together To Improve Drug Abuse Prevention from Volume 18, Number 3. (2003)
- Brain Imaging: Bringing Drug Abuse Into Focus from Volume 18, Number 2. (2003)
- A Double Dose of Research for Patients Addicted to Both Drugs and Alcohol from Volume 18, Number 1. (2003)
- NIDA's Continued Commitment To Nicotine Research from Volume 17, Number 6. (2003)
- Opening the Door to Mainstream Medical Treatment Of Drug Addiction from Volume 17, Number 5. (2003)
- Rising to the Challenges of Inhalant Abuse from Volume 17, Number 4. (2002)
- New Insights Into Relapse from Volume 17, Number 3. (2002)
- In Drug Abuse, Gender Matters from Volume 17, Number 2. (2002)
- NIDA Research Advances Global Efforts To Prevent and Treat AIDS from Volume 17, Number 1. (2002)
- New Vistas in Drug Abuse Prevention from Volume 16, Number 6. (2002)
- Using Science To Counter the Spread of Ecstasy Abuse from Volume 16, Number 5. (2001)
- Countering Abuse and Addiction With Information Audiences Can Use from Volume 16, Number 4. (2001)
- Coping With Stress in the Wake of September 11 from Volume 16, Number 4 (2001)
- Understanding the Risks of Prescription Drug Abuse from Volume 16, Number 3. (2001)
- When the Question Is Drug Abuse and Addiction, the Answer Is 'All of the Above' from Volume 16, Number 2. (2001)
- Meeting the Challenge of Reducing Health Disparities from Volume 16, Number 1. (2001)
- Blending Drug Abuse Research and Practice To Improve Treatment from Volume 15, Number 6. (2001)
- NIDA's Nicotine Research Provides Scientific Approaches to Combat a Deadly Addiction from Volume 15, Number 5. (2000)
- Treating the Brain in Drug Abuse from Volume 15, Number 4. (2000)
- NIDA's Epidemiological Compasses from Volume 15, Number 3. (2000)
- NIDA's Strategic Plan for 2000-2005 from Volume 15, Number 2. (2000)
- Addressing the Medical Consequences of Drug Abuse from Volume 15, Number 1. (2000)
- A Club Drug Alert from Volume 14, Number 6. (2000)
- The State of the Art in Drug Addiction Treatment from Volume 14, Number 5. (1999)
- Drug Abuse and Mental Disorders: Comorbidity Is Reality from Volume 14, Number 4. (1999)
- Research Shows Effects of Prenatal Cocaine Exposure Are Subtle But Significant from Volume 14, Number 3. (1999)
- Drug Abuse Research Helps Curtail the Spread Of Deadly Infectious Diseases from Volume 14, Number 2. (1999)
- The Next Generation Of Drug Abuse Research from Volume 14, Number 1. (1999)
- Institute Will Expand Research Into the Interaction of Genetics and Environment in Vulnerability to Drug Abuse and Addiction from Volume 13, Number 6. (1999)
- NIDA Research Provides Data to Document and Improve the Effectiveness of Drug Abuse Health Services from Volume 13, Number 5. (1999)
- Gender Matters in Drug Abuse Research from Volume 13, Number 4. (1998)
- Addiction Research Can Provide Scientific Solutions to the Problem of Cigarette Smoking from Volume 13, Number 3. (1998)
- NIDA Probes the Elusive Link Between Child Abuse and Later Drug Abuse from Volume 13, Number 2. (1998)
- NIDA Expands Research to Meet Challenge of Methamphetamine Abuse from Volume 13, Number 1. (1998)
- Applying Scientific Research Can Counter Rise in Heroin Use from November/December, 1997
- National Study Offers Strong Evidence of the Effectiveness of Drug Abuse Treatment from September/October, 1997
- NIDA Initiative Will Stimulate Improvements in Drug Abuse Treatment from July/August, 1997
- Research Meets the Challenge of Preventing Drug Use Among Young People from May/June, 1997
- NIDA Responds to the Changing Dynamics of the AIDS Epidemic from March/April, 1997
- Taking Drug Abuse Research to the Community from January/February, 1997
- NIDA's Brain Imaging Studies Serve as Powerful Tools to Improve Drug Abuse Treatment from November/December, 1996
- Professional Exchanges Strengthen Drug Abuse Research, Prevention, and Treatment from September/October, 1996
- NIDA Seeks New Keys to Preventing Drug Abuse Among Adolescents from May/June, 1996
- Bridging the "Great Disconnect" from March/April, 1996
- NIDA Develops Guidelines for Research Center Grant Program from January/February, 1996
- Broadening the Role of NIDA's Neuroscience Research from November/December, 1995
- Progress and Potential Mark NIDA's Search for a Cocaine Treatment Medication from September/October, 1995
- Marijuana Initiative Features Scientifically Accurate, Credible Messages from July/August, 1995
- AIDS Brings Greater Research Obligation, More Potential for Results from May/June, 1995
- Broadening NIDA's Basic Research on Behavior from March/April, 1995
- Filling the Gender Gap in Drug Abuse Research from January/February, 1995
- Spreading the Word about NIDA Research from October/November, 1994
Published Articles and Presentations
Past Director's Presentations
- American Methadone Treatment Association Presentation by Alan I. Leshner, Ph.D. - October 9, 2001In PowerPoint format (4.1 MB download)
- Addiction Is a Brain Disease Published by the National Academy of Sciences, Issues in Science and Technology online
- Talking With Alan I. Leshner, PhD, National Institute on Drug Abuse Director, Published in the Journal of American Medical Association
- "Oops: How Casual Drug Use Leads to Addiction" - By Alan I. Leshner, Ph.D., Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse
- "Exploding Myths about Drug Abuse" - By Alan I. Leshner, Ph.D., Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse
- Parents: Nicotine Is A Real Threat To Your Kids - Dr. Alan I. Leshner, Director of NIDA.
- Club Drugs Aren't "Fun Drugs" - Dr. Alan I. Leshner, Director of NIDA.
- The Science of Addiction - Dr. Alan I. Leshner, Director of NIDA, speaks to the Smithsonian Resident Associate Program in Washington, D.C. - RealAudio/RealVideo presentation [off-site]
- Addiction Is a Brain Disease, and It Matters, Published in Science Magazine
- Addicted to Nicotine, Appeared in papers nationwide from 4-6-98 to 9-24-99
- Why Should We Treat Addicts Anyway? The Solution We Refuse to Use, Currently appearing in papers nationwide since November, 1999.
- The Essence of Drug Addiction, Appeared in papers nationwide from 7-15-97 to 4-3-98
- Why Do Sally and Johnny Use Drugs?, Appeared in papers nationwide from 12-11-98 to 8-31-99
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