Genetics of Substance Abuse Laboratory Institute of Behavioral Genetics phone: 303-492-1463 fax: 303-492-8063

Research Interests

• Identification of genes contributing to substance abuse in humans.


• The effects of exercise on alcohol-related phenotypes in mouse models.

Personnel

• Director: Marissa A. Ehringer, Ph.D.


• Postdoctoral Fellows: Nicole Hoft, Ph.D., Sarah Holly Stephens, Ph.D.


• Graduate Students: Isabel Schlaepfer, M.S., Todd Darlington, B.A.


• Undergraduate Students: Stephen Faulkner, Beth Chitel


• Professional Research Assistant: Jill Miyamoto, B.S.


• Database and LIMS Manager: Rick Casey


• Collaborators: Matthew McQueen, John Hewitt, Michael Stallings, Susan Young, Robin Corley, Andrew Smolen, Allan Collins, Jerry Stitzel, Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado at Boulder; Christian Hopfer, Sherry Leonard, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver; Laura Bierut, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis.

Back row (L to R): Matthias Zunhammer, Jill Miyamoto-Ditmon, Stephen Faulkner, Jessica Godfrey, Rick Casey; Front row: Marissa Ehringer, Isabel Schlaepfer, Nicole Hoft, Stacy Romero

Current Research Projects

• Translational studies of human neuronal nicotinic receptor genes associated with alcohol and tobacco behaviors.


• Identification of rare, novel SNPs.


• Dense SNP mapping in large human samples.


• In vitro functional characterization of human SNPs.


• Behavioral testing of nAChR knock-out mice.


• Studies of the effects of voluntary wheel running on alcohol consumption in mice using a genetics approach.

Recent Publications

• Corley RP, Zeiger JS, Crowley T, Ehringer MA, Hewitt JK, Hopfer CJ, Lessem J, McQueen M, Rhee SH, Smolen A, Stallings MC, Young SE, Krauter K. Association of candidate genes with antisocial drug dependence in adolescents. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 96(1-2):90-98, 2008.


• Haberstick BC, Timberlake D, Hopfer CJ, Lessem JM, Ehringer MA, Hewitt JK. Genetic and Environmental Contributions to Retrospectively Reported DSM-IV Childhood Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Psychological Medicine 38(7): 1057-1066, 2008.


• Schlaepfer I, Hoft NR, Collins AC, Corley RP, Hewitt JK, Hopfer CJ, Lessem J, McQueen MB, Rhee SH, Ehringer MA. The CHRNA5/A3/B4 gene cluster variability as an important determinant of alcohol and tobacco initiation in young adults. Biological Psychiatry 63(11): 1039-1046, 2008.


• Schlaepfer IR, Hoft NR, Ehringer MA. The genetic components of alcohol and nicotine co-addiction: From genes to behavior. Current Drug Abuse Reviews 1:124-134, 2008.


• Subbarao A, Rhee SH, Young SE, Ehringer MA, Corley RP. Common genetic and environmental influences on major depressive disorder and conduct disorder. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology 36(3): 433-444, 2008.


• Zeiger JS, Haberstick BC, Schlaepfer I, Collins AC, Corley RP, Crowley TJ, Hewitt JK, Hopfer CJ, Lessem L, McQueen MB, Rhee SH, Ehringer MA. The neuronal nicotinic receptor (CHRNA6 and CHRNB3) are associated with subjective responses to nicotine. Human Molecular Genetics 17(5):724-734, 2008.

Opportunities for Undergraduates

• Our lab is currently looking for an undergraduate to assist with ongoing mouse behavioral testing.
• The requirements for undergraduate students who want a research experience in our laboratory are:


• A major in Integrative Physiology.
• Either have completed or be concurrently enrolled in IPHY 2800 Introduction to Statistics.
• Enroll in Independent Study (IPHY 4860) for 8-10 hours/week for at least one semester.


• Interested students should complete this application and e-mail it to Marissa.Ehringer@colorado.edu

Funding

• 2005-2010, NIH/NIAAA, "Molecular Genetics and Behavior: Alcohol and Tobacco Use"


• 2003-2006, NIH/NIAAA, "Genetic Association and Stratification: Alcoholism"


• 2005-2010, NIH/NICHD, "Etiology of Reading Disabilities and Comorbid ADHD"


• 2005-2007, NARSAD, "Prospective Associations Among Genes, Stress, and Depression"


• 2005-2010, NIH/NICHD, "The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, Project V: Gene Environment Contributions to Drug Use and Problem Behavior Trajectories"