Emerging Role of Epigenetic Regulation in Alcohol Use Disorders

Dr. Pandey is Professor of Psychiatry, Anatomy and Cell Biology, and Director of the NIAAA funded Alcohol Research Center at the University of Illinois Chicago. Dr. Pandey is also a Senior Research Career Scientist at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago. Dr. Pandey has a distinguished and exemplary career in alcoholism research. He is well known for his scientific contributions towards elucidating the molecular and cellular neuroscience of alcohol abuse and anxiety disorders as well as for his pioneering work on the epigenetic basis of alcoholism. Dr. Pandey’s path-breaking studies on the signaling and epigenetic mechanisms that underlie the comorbidity of anxiety and alcoholism have propelled him to a leadership role that is recognized both nationally and internationally in the field of alcoholism research. Binge drinking is very common in the adolescent period and his work has shown that adolescent alcohol exposure produces persistent effects on epigenetic processes in the brain that are responsible for the development of alcohol drinking and anxiety-like behaviors in adulthood. He has authored several peer-reviewed high impact research and review articles and book chapters in the fields of alcohol addiction.

Dr. Pandey has been consistently funded by the Department of Veterans affairs and NIH-NIAAA since 1996. He recently established the NIH-NIAAA funded Alcohol Research Center- entitled “Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics” (CARE) at The University of Illinois Chicago. This is the only NIH funded Alcohol Research Center in the US that is investigating the epigenetic mechanisms of alcoholism. Dr. Pandey’s laboratory is also the site carrying out epigenetic research for the national consortium on “Neurobiology of adolescent drinking in adulthood” funded by NIH-NIAAA.

Dr. Pandey has received various honors and awards; most notably the 2010 Bowles Lectureship Award in alcoholism research presented by The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was recognized as a notable biomedical VA researcher in 2014 and recipient of senior VA research career scientist award in 2015. He was honored by The University of Illinois, College of Medicine with the 2016 “Faculty of the Year” award for his outstanding body of academic work and his recognition as a world leader in the field of epigenetic research in alcoholism. He is an active member of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA), International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism (ISBRA) and several other scientific societies, including American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, and a fellow of the Indian Academy of Neurosciences and Collegium Internationale Neuro-psychopharmacologicum (CINP). Dr. Pandey has also been serving as a field editor for the journal, “Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research.

Audience: Psychiatrists, Neurologists, and other affiliated professionals interested in mental health

Purpose: To provide current information on research, treatment, and policy issues relating to psychiatry and its adjunct fields

Instructional level: Advanced

Objectives:

1. To provide current status of alcohol use disorders comorbid with or without anxiety.
2. To describe brain circuitry based genetic and epigenetic changes in alcohol use disorder.
3. To identify novel molecular targets for treating alcohol use disorder.

The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) College of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) College of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 1credit AMA PRA Category 1 credit(s)TM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Continuing Education Units (1) will be available for Social Workers and affiliated reciprocal agencies. Illinois Board License number 159-000112.

The Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois Chicago is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.  The Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois Chicago maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This event is 1 credit hour continuing education.

No member of the planning committee for this activity have reported a relevant relationship with a commercial interest.  There is no conflict of interest and nothing to disclose.

Dr. Pandey has no relevant financial relationship with commercial interests related to this CME activity.