New Issue of The Spectrum Is Now Available

Volume 9, Issue 1 Is Now Available! NIAAA Spectrum Webzine NIAAA Spectrum is an online Webzine published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. It includes feature-length stories, new research findings from the field, image and data analyses, and an interview with an NIAAA staff member or alcohol researcher. The latest issue is now available. The full table of contents is presented below. In This Issue NIAAA Plays Integral Role in First Surgeon General's Report on Addiction On November 17, 2016, NIAAA Director George F. Koob, Ph.D., joined other leading scientific and health experts in a national summit at the historic Paramount Theater in Los Angeles, California, as Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, M.D., released the first-ever Surgeon General’s report dedicated to substance misuse and substance use disorders. More... A Second Challenge Competition for the Wearable Alcohol Biosensor Many alcohol studies rely on participants to self-report how much and how often they drink, which can, at times, result in unreliable data. Biomarkers (biological markers) based on indicators in blood or other bodily fluids can be objective measures of alcohol use.  More... Spotlight NIAAA Featured in HBO Documentary Risky Drinking On December 19, 2016, HBO Documentary Films premiered Risky Drinking, which follows the stories of four people whose drinking dramatically affects their relationships and their lives. NIH Clinical Center Changes Will Enhance Patient Care and Quality Assurance In recent months, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced several steps emphasizing a renewed focus on patient safety at the Clinical Center, its award-winning research hospital. NIAAA Lab Chief Dr. Andrew Holmes Wins Award for Outstanding Research Andrew Holmes, Ph.D., has won the prestigious Daniel H. Efron Research Award from the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP). Noteworthy New Division Director and Clinical Director Selected M. Katherine Jung, Ph.D., has been selected as Director of the Division of Metabolism and Health Effects (DMHE), and David Goldman, M.D., has been selected as Clinical Director of NIAAA. News From the Field Dual-Targeting Strategy Shows Promise Against Liver Fibrosis Liver fibrosis is a consequence of chronic liver injury associated with alcoholic or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, viral hepatitis, or metabolic diseases, and can lead to cirrhosis and even cancer. Animal Study Suggests Alcohol Use Before Pregnancy May Increase Vulnerability of Offspring to Stress in Adulthood A recent NIAAA-funded study in rats has shown that a mother’s alcohol use before conception could have negative effects on her child’s health and response to stress during adulthood. 5 Questions With... Deidra Roach, M.D. Medical Project Officer, Division of Treatment and Recovery Research