Brain Image in the website graphic generated by Dr. Lauren Wills in the lab of Dr. Paul Kenny using 10x Genomics “Whole Mouse Brain – 5K Gene Panel” Xenium. Coronal mouse brain slice visualized using spatial transcriptomics. Regions shown include cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, and habenula.

Agenda

2025 NIDA-NIAAA Mini-Convention: Frontiers in Addiction Research
NOVEMBER 14, 2025
ALL TIMES PACIFIC

9:00 – 9:15 am	Introduction to the Mini-Convention Nora D. Volkow, M.D., Director, NIDA George Koob, Ph.D., Director, NIAAA
9:15 – 10:15 am	Jacob P. Waletzky Memorial Award Lecture Chair: Tristan McClure-Begley, Ph.D., NIDA
10:15 – 11:45 am	Scientific Session I. Interrogation of Large Single-Cell Data Sets to Identify New Addiction Targets Co-Chairs: John Satterlee, Ph.D., NIDA Anne Tsai, Ph.D., NIDA Speakers: Veronica Alvarez, Ph.D., National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Intramural Research Program (IRP) Emergence pf Resilience Genes Among Transcriptomic Analysis of Compulsive-Like Drinking in Mice Lauren Wills, Ph.D., Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Three-Dimensional Spatial Analysis of the Nucleus Accumbens Brian R. Herb, Ph.D., University of Maryland Cross-Species Insights into Opioid and Stimulant Effects in the Nucleus Accumbens
11:45 am – 1:15 pm	Lunch Break
1:15 – 2:45 pm	Scientific Session II. Human iPSC-Derived Organoids and Assembloids for Brain Development, Disorders, and Diseases Co-Chairs: Da-Yu Wu, Ph.D., NIDA Anne Tsai, Ph.D., NIDA Speakers: Gabriel G. Haddad, M.D., University of California, San Diego Effect Of Methadone on the Developmental Properties of Human Brain Organoids Joel Blanchard, Ph.D., Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Discovering Therapeutic Target of Genetic and Environmental Vulnerabilities for AD And PD In Brain Organoids Lorenz Studer, M.D., Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
2:45 – 3:25 pm	Joint NIDAA-NIAAA Early Career Investigator Showcase
3:25 – 3:40 pm	Break (Photo time for ECIS awardees and IC directors)
3:40 – 5:10 pm	Scientific Session III. Cutting-edge Multiomic Approaches for Enhanced Drug Repurposing Strategies in Substance Use Disorders. Co-Chairs: Dominique Lorang-Leins, Ph.D., NIAAA Miri Gitik, Ph.D., NIAAA Chamindi Seneviratne, M.D., NIAAA Speakers: Julie White, Ph.D., RTI International Integrating Multi-Omics and Drug Repurposing Tools to Identify Novel Candidate Therapies for AUD Richard Weinshilboum, M.D., Mayo Clinic Alcohol Use Disorder, Multiple Omics and FNDC4 Falk Lohoff, M.D., NIAAA Multi-Omics Approaches for Novel Target Discoveries in Alcohol Use Disorder
5:10 pm	Closing Remarks