Don’t miss the next Kahlert Institute for Addiction Medicine Seminar Series!
This engaging event showcases groundbreaking preclinical and clinical addiction research while fostering collaborative discussions to drive innovative solutions.
Topics (in order of presenters):
1. Progesterone Sex-Specifically Reduces Nicotine Use and Ameliorates Nicotine-Induced Transcriptomic Changes in the Female Nucleus Accumbens: Implications for the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis
2. Effects of remembered nicotine and cannabis withdrawal on demand for cigarettes and marijuana in experienced users
3. Nictone Pouches: A Newer Means of Rapid Nicotine Delivery
Wednesday, March 4, 2026 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Hosick Lecture Hall, Bressler Research Building | 655 W. Baltimore Street
Cassandra Gipson-Reichardt, PhD
Associate Professor, Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Mikhail Koffarnus, PhD
Associate Professor, Vice Chair of Research, Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Wallace Pickworth, PhD
Formerly of the National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program and Battelle Memorial Institute
Upcoming Presentations
April 8, 2026: Matthew Roesch, PhD – Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park (Presentation title TBD)
May 13, 2026: Eric J. Nestler, MD, PhD – Dean, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, Mount Sinai Health System (Presentation title TBD)
Past Seminar Series Presentations
2026
February 11, 2026: When studies don’t fit patients and patients don’t fit studies: Methadone stories highlighting the challenges of translational addiction research
Aaron Greenblatt, MD – Associate Professor, Family & Community Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Presentation Title: Why Most Patients Don't Qualify for Our Studies: Real Cases Illustrating the Challenges of Translational Addiction Research
January 14, 2026: Maryland's Opioid Ecosystem: System Interactions and Opportunities to Improve Opioid Related Outcomes
Malik Burnett, MD, MBA, MPH – Addiction Medicine Physician UMMC Midtown Campus Center for Addiction Medicine
Presentation Title: Maryland's Opioid Ecosystem: System Interactions and Opportunities to Improve Opioid Related Outcomes
2025
December 10, 2025: Neuroimaging Insights Into Substance Use: A Focus on Nicotine Dependence
Amy Janes, PhD – Senior Investigator, Deputy Chief, Neuroimaging Research Branch Chief, Cognitive and Pharmacological Neuroimaging Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program
Presentation Title: Neuroimaging Insights Into Substance Use: A Focus on Nicotine Dependence
November 12, 2025: Opioid Use Disorder: Inpatient Management
Aditi Ringwala, MD – Assistant Professor, Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Presentation Title: "Opioid Use Disorder: Inpatient Management"
October 8, 2025: Using Effort-Cost Decision-Making Frameworks to Better Understand Motivational Impairment in Psychiatric Disorders
Adam Culbreth, PhD – Assistant Professor, Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Presentation Title: "Using Effort-Cost Decision-Making Frameworks to Better Understand Motivational Impairment in Psychiatric Disorders"
September 10, 2025: Novel Approaches to the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose
Sandra Comer, PhD – Professor of Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; Research Scientist VII, New York State Psychiatric Institute
Presentation Title: "Novel Approaches to the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose"
March 12, 2025: Psycho-social and Behavioral Interventions
Marco Venniro, PhD – Associate Professor, Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Presentation Title: "The Role of Social Behavior on Substance Use Disorders"
Melanie Bennett, PhD – Professor, Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine; Division Director for the Division of Psychiatric Research Services
Presentation Title: "Supporting Behavior Change in Persons With Substance Use Disorders"
January 15, 2025: Substance Use in Pregnancy
Mary Kay Lobo, PhD – Professor, Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine; Co-Director, Center for Substance Use in Pregnancy; Associate Director, Kahlert Institute for Addiction Medicine
Presentation Title: "Using a Preclinical Model of Perinatal Fentanyl Exposure to Understand Long Lasting Biological Impacts"
Courtney Townsel, MD, MS – Assistant Professor, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Director of Perinatal Research, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Presentation Title: "Opioid Use in Pregnancy: How Placental Transport and Metabolism Shape Neonatal Withdrawal Outcomes"
2024
December 4, 2024: Aging and Addiction Research
Bethea "Annie" Kleykamp, PhD – Assistant Professor, Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Presentation Title: "Addressing Addiction Among Older Adults: A Forgotten Population"
Michy Kelly, PhD – Associate Professor, Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Presentation Title: "Consideration for Conduction Drug Studies in Aging Mice"
September 11, 2024: Cannabis Research
Joseph Cheer, PhD – Professor, Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Presentation Title: "Endogenous cannabinoids and the avoidance of fear"
Katrina Mark, MD, FACOG, FASAM – Associate Professor, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Chief of the Division of General Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Presentation Title: "Cannabis use in pregnancy: patterns, perceptions and problems"
February 22, 2024: Inaugural Seminar Series
Lorenzo Leggio, MD, PhD – Clinical Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Intramural Research Program (IRP)
Presentation Title: "Mind the Gut: Developing New Pharmacotherapies for Addiction"