NIDA - Genetics and Epigenetics Cross Cutting Research

Agenda

2025 NIDA Genetics Meeting, hosted by the NIDA Genetics and Epigenetics Cross-Cutting Research Team
September 11-12, 2025
ALL TIMES EASTERN

DAY 1: September 11, 2025
9:00–9:10 a.m.	Welcome Nora D. Volkow, M.D., Director, NIDA
9:10–9:40 a.m.	Session 1: Perspectives from the Inside -- Lived Experiences
9:40–10:45 a.m.	Session 2: Genome-scale Exploration of the Opioid-Exposed Human Brain - From Tissues to Cells to Single Chromatin Fibers Co-Chairs: Olivia Corradin, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology Eric Johnson, Ph.D., RTI International Speakers: Caryn Willis, M.S., RTI International Differential Gene Expression of Opioid Overdose Death Across Human Brain Regions Olivia Corradin, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology Epigenetic Variation Linked to Opioid Overdose Converge on Splicing Regulators in the Nucleus Accumbens Risa Watanabe, M.S., Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Genome-Scale Long-Read Single Molecule Sequencing for Nucleosome Position Mapping and Transcription Factor Footprinting in Opioid Exposed and Control Prefrontal Cortex
10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.	Poster Session A
12:15–1:30 p.m.	Lunch with table topics
1:30–3:00 p.m.	Session 3 Concurrent Panels *Harnessing Model Organism Genetics and Genomics in the Understanding the Role of Human Genetic Variation in SUDs* Co-Chairs: Elissa Chesler, Ph.D., The Jackson Laboratory Abraham Palmer, Ph.D., University of California San Diego Speakers: Marianne Seney, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh Sex-specific Concordance of Striatal Transcriptional Signatures of Opioid Addiction in Human and Rodent Brains Xia Yang, Ph.D., University of California Los Angeles Mergeomics, a Multiomics Integration and Network Modeling Tool and Its Applications in Addiction Research Abraham Palmer, Ph.D., University of California San Diego Genetic Evidence Supports a Relationship Between Locomotor Activity in a Novel Environment in Rodents a Human Externalizing Behavior Elissa Chesler, Ph.D., The Jackson Laboratory Using Mouse Behavioral Phenomics to Interpret and Model Genetic Variation in Substance Use Disorders *Impact of Substance Abuse on HIV Gene Expression and Neuroinflammation Dynamics* Co-Chairs: Mudit Tyagi, Ph.D., Thomas Jefferson University Palsamy Periyasamy, Ph.D., University of Nebraska Medical Center Speakers: Mudit Tyagi, Ph.D., Thomas Jefferson University Cocaine Enhances HIV Infection, Gene Expression, and Replication by Stimulating Cell Metabolism and DNA-PK Palsamy Periyasamy, Ph.D., University of Nebraska Medical Center Epigenetic Regulation of NLRP6 Inflammasome in Methamphetamine-Induced Neuroinflammation and Astrocyte Pyroptosis Shilpa Buch, Ph.D., University of Nebraska Medical Center Extracellular Vesicles and Microrna Crosstalk: Modulators of Neuroinflammation in HIV-1 and Opioid-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders
3:00–4:00 p.m.	Session 4: Short Talks
4:00–5:30 p.m.	Poster Session B
5:30 p.m.	Adjourn
DAY 2: September 12, 2025
9:00–9:05 a.m.	Welcome Udi Ghitza, Ph.D., NIDA Amy Lossie, Ph.D., NIDA Jonathan Pollock, Ph.D., NIDA
9:05–10:30 a.m.	Session 5: Molecular and Cellular Logic Underlying Drug-Seeking and Relapse Across Cell Type- and Circuit-Specific Populations Co-Chairs: Ian Maze, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Keri Martinowich, Johns Hopkins University Speakers: Soren D. Emerson, B.S., Vanderbilt University Molecular Determinants of Ensemble Recruitment Ege Yalcinbas, Ph.D., Lieber Institute for Brain Development Transcriptional Impact of Chronic Fentanyl Self-Administration on Habenula Circuits Newaz Ahmed, Ph.D., Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Ex-Specific Chromatin and Transcriptional Signatures in Medial Prefrontal Cortex Following Heroin Exposures Barbara Juarez, Ph.D., University of Maryland Adaptations in the Parabrachial Nucleus After Chronic Opioid Exposure and Withdrawal
10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.	Poster Session C
12:00–1:15 p.m.	Lunch with table topics
1:15–2:30 p.m.	Session 6 Concurrent Panels *Regulation of Alternative Splicing in Addiction* Co-Chairs: Elizabeth A Heller, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania Amy Lasek, Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University Speakers: Karla Kaun, Ph.D., Brown University Functional Consequences of Alternative Splicing in Polysubstance Use Elizabeth A Heller, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania Chromatin- and Activity-Mediated Alternative Splicing in Sucrose and Cocaine Reward Luana Carvalho, Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University PCBP1-Mediated Alternative Splicing in the Hippocampus During Alcohol Withdrawal Rohan Palmer, Ph.D., Emory University Genomic and Transcriptomic Splicing Associations in Opioid and Alcohol Use Disorder *Clinical Utility of Implementation of Genetic Data into Personalized Medicine Approach to Substance Use Disorder (SUD)* Co-Chairs: Tanya Ramey, M.D., Ph.D., NIDA Albert Arias, M.D., Virginia Commonwealth University Speakers: Laura Bierut, M.D., Washington University in St. Louis Polygenic Scores For Substance Use Disorder: Uses For Prevention and Treatment Albert Arias, M.D., Virginia Commonwealth University Toward Precision Treatment of Substance Use Disorders with Machine Learning Models and Pharmacogenetics Danielle M. Dick, Ph.D., Rutgers University Integrating Genomic and Environmental Information to Deliver Personalized Feedback on Substance Use Disorder Risk: The Comprehensive Addiction Risk Evaluation System (CARES)
2:30–4:00 p.m.	Poster Session D
4:00–5:00 p.m.	Session 7: Short Talks
5:00 p.m.	Adjourn