About us

At the Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies, we seek to explore the complex problems of drugs through multidisciplinary research and training, with a focus on the neuroscience of addictions and related neurobehavioral disorders.

The institute is led by F. Gerard Moeller, M.D., a preeminent researcher with a focus on brain imaging in addiction medicine. Moeller’s addiction research has been funded since 1996 by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. His work is published in more than 110 peer-reviewed publications.

Moeller is also director of the Virginia Commonwealth University Center for Clinical and Translational Research and the university’s associate vice president for clinical research.

Faculty

F. Gerard Moeller, M.D.

F. Gerard Moeller, M.D.

Director, Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies
Director, Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research
Associate Vice President for Clinical Research
Professor, Departments of Psychiatry, Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Neurology
School of Medicine

(804) 828-4134
frederick.moeller@vcuhealth.org
MyNCBI Publications

Albert Arias 

Albert Arias, M.D.

Associate Professor, Psychiatry
Department of Psychiatry
School of Medicine


(804) 828-8793
albert.arias@vcuhealth.org
ORCID: 0000-0002-3091-8504

James M. Bjork, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Departments of Psychiatry
and Pharmacology and Toxicology
School of Medicine


(804) 828-3935
james.bjork@vcuhealth.org
ORCID: 0000-0003-0593-3291

 

Matthew Halquist, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Departments of Pharmaceutics
School of Pharmacy

(804) 827-2078
halquistms@vcu.edu
ORCID: 0000-0001-9591-3117

Courtney Holmes, Ph.D., LPC, LMFT, NCC, CRC and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional

Associate Professor
Department of Rehabilitation Counseling
College of Health Professions


(804) 827-0922
cmholmes@vcu.edu
ORCID: 0000-0001-8431-109X

Kristina Hood, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Departments of Psychology
College of Humanities and Sciences

(804) 828-7484
hoodkb@vcu.edu
ORCID: 0000-0003-4817-9882

Lori Keyser-Marcus, Ph.D.

Assistant professor
Department of Psychiatry
School of Medicine

(804) 828-4164
lori.keysermarcus@vcuhealth.org
ORCID: 0000-0001-6014-2500

Ma Liangsuo, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry
School of Medicine

(804) 828-2871
liangsuo.ma@vcuhealth.org
ORCID: 0000-0002-8856-098X

Martin Caitlin 

Caitlin Martin, M.D., M.P.H.

Assistant Professor
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
School of Medicine

(804) 628-7023
caitlin.martin@vcuhealth.org
ORCID: 0000-0001-5560-458X

 

Michelle Peace, PhD

Professor
Department of Forensic Science
College of Humanities and Sciences

(804) 828-8420
mrpeace@vcu.edu
ORCID: 0000-0002-1480-139X

 

Amy Salisbury, PhD, RN, FAAN

Professor and Associate Dean of Research
School of Nursing

(804) 828-2095
salisburya@vcu.edu
ORCID: 0000-0002-6232-1737

Joel L. Steinberg, M.D.

Professor
Department of Psychiatry
School of Medicine

(713) 249-7472
joel.steinberg@vcuhealth.org
ORCID: 0000-0002-0297-0751

Dace Svikis, Ph.D.

Professor
Department of Psychology
College of Humanities and Sciences
and Deputy Director of Institute of Women's Health

(804)-827-1184
dssvikis@vcu.edu
ORCID: 0000-0002-7258-2367

Jasmin Vassileva, Ph.D

Associate Professor
Department of Psychiatry
School of Medicine

(804) 828-5807
jasmin.vassileva@vcuhealth.org
ORCID: 0000-0003-2397-2657

Brandon Wills, DO, MS, FACEPT, FACMT

Professor
Departments of Psychiatry and Emergency Medicine
School of Medicine

(804) 628-4368
brandon.wills@vcuhealth.org
ORCID: 0000-0002-7396-587X

Yan Zhang, PhD

Professor
Department of Medicinal Chemistry
School of Pharmacy

(804) 828-0021
yzhang2@vcu.edu
ORCID: 0000-0001-8934-7016

Administration

Business Office:
(804) 828-3793
(804) 828-4155

CARI MRI Facility: (804) 828-3639

CARI MRI Imaging Analysis Lab: (804) 828-4184

CARI Research Team:
(804) 827-3784
(804) 828-3686

ABCD Research Team: (804) 828-4085