Seminar – David R. Maguire, Ph.D.

Drug abuse remains a significant public health problem. Many factors contribute to the development and maintenance of drug taking, and understanding these factors will aid in the improvement of prevention and treatment of drug abuse. Our laboratory uses a variety of techniques to study interactions between behavior and pharmacology, with a focus on how those interactions contribute to the therapeutic and abuse-related effects of drugs. Current areas of interest include (1) evaluating novel pharmacotherapies for opioid and stimulant abuse; (2) characterizing effects of drug combinations, particularly combinations that might have therapeutic potential such as treating pain; and (3) examining effects of repeated treatment with drugs of abuse (e.g., opioids) on choice, decision making, and impulsivity.