Lab Members

Clyde W. Hodge, Ph.D. (Principal Investigator). Dr. Hodge is a Professor in the Dept. of Psychiatry at UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine and serves as Director of the UNC Alcohol Research Center Scientific Core. He earned his MS and PhD from Auburn University followed by postdoctoral training in Behavioral Neuroscience with Dr. Hank Samson at the University of Washington in Seattle. Dr. Hodge’s research is focused on understanding how alcohol and other drugs of abuse hijack brain reward pathways to produce drug-seeking behavior. His work on alcohol addiction has been funded continuously by the NIH / NIAAA for 27 years. Dr. Hodge is the recipient of an NIH MERIT (R37) award.

Dr. Sara Faccidomo, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor). Dr. Faccidomo is an Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Psychiatry at UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine and member of the Alcohol Research Center. She earned her BA, MS, and PhD from Tufts University where she worked with Dr. Klaus Miczek. Dr. Faccidomo is an expert in behavioral and molecular neuroscience of addiction. Her work has moved the field forward in understanding the neurobiology of alcohol and aggression, maladaptive consequences of maternal separation and stress, and the role of protein kinases (ERK and CaMKII) and glutamatergic receptor signaling in the reinforcing effects of alcohol. Dr. Faccidomo is the recent recipient of a grant from The Foundation of Hope to evaluate novel neural mechanisms of the rewarding and mood altering effects of cocaine and opiates.

Dr. Jessica L. Hoffman, Ph.D. (Research Associate). Dr. Hoffman is a Research Associate and recent recipient of a K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award from the NIAAA. The prestigious K99/R00 award provides 2 years of support for Dr. Hoffman’s continued postdoctoral research at UNC (K99 phase) followed by 3 years of independent funding after she transitions to a tenure-track faculty position (R00 phase). Dr. Hoffman’s preclinical project, entitled “A novel mechanism of dependence-induced escalated alcohol self-administration,” is investigating the novel mechanistic role of the auxiliary protein transmembrane AMPAR regulatory protein gamma 8 (TARP γ-8) in alcohol dependence. During the K99 phase, Dr. Hoffman will extend her training to include use of a novel multi-spectral four-channel fiber photometry platform with Dr. Ian Shih and evaluate a role of TARP γ-8 in dependence-induced escalation of operant alcohol self-administration. During the R00 phase, Dr. Hoffman will integrate these methods to analyze the role of TARP γ-8 in neural circuits that regulate escalated alcohol use during dependence. This work will move the field forward in understanding molecular mechanisms of alcohol dependence and has high translational value for developing novel treatments for individuals suffering from alcohol use disorder.

Bella Dinu, B.S. (Research Technician, Lab Manager). Bella received her B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with a minor in Neuroscience from the University of South Carolina. At USC Bella worked with Peter Vento to help develop behavioral methods, and conducted research on how brain circuits that regulate motivation influence drug addiction and dependence. In her current position as a Research Technician, Bella is working on several current projects designed to evaluate novel mechanisms of the positive reinforcing effects of alcohol, behavioral adaptation to cocaine and morphine, and the impact of alcohol use on the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. These projects have potential to lead to new medications for the treatment of alcohol and substance abuse, and for the mitigation of Alzheimer’s like neural and behavioral pathology associated with heavy alcohol use.

Rosie Rafferty, B.S. (Research Technician). Rosie received her B.S. in Psychology from the College of Charleston in May of 2023. During her studies, Rosie focused on novel PTSD treatments as well as the issue of comorbid PTSD and substance use disorders in the veteran population. Rosie is working on multiple projects in the lab including evaluating novel mechanisms of the reinforcing effects of alcohol and investigating the role of TARP gamma-8 as a mechanism of behavioral sensitization to psychomotor stimulants and opiates.

Michelle Kim, B.S. (Research Technician, Lab Manager; Current position: Ph.D. student in Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai).

Ciarra Whindleton, B.S. (Research Technician, Lab Manager; Current position: Ph.D. student in Neuroscience at University of Minnesota Twin Cities).

Abigail Garcia-Baza, B.S. (Research Technician; Current position: Graduate student in Masters of Publica Health program at UNC Chapel Hill).