Category: News

Dr. Zoe McElligott, BCAS faculty member and Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, was featured in a recent WRAL news segment focused on the growing popularity and public health questions surrounding THC-infused beverages. In the video titled “In Depth with Dan: Answering Viewer Questions About THC Drinks,” Dr. McElligott provides her...

BCAS Associate Director Dr. Joyce Besheer is researching the potential of Ozempic, a popular diabetes and weight loss medication, to treat alcohol and opioid addiction. Her work was cited in the news media: Ozempic may lead to decrease in drinking

Congratulations to the “Avengers” Research Team, led by BCAS faculty member Dr. Zoe McElligott! As part of the Triangle Center of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation (Triangle CERSI), this team has made significant progress in addressing a pressing public health issue. Awarded an FDA grant, the team is studying...

BCAS faculty member Leon Coleman, MD, PhD has received the 2025  Division for Neuropharmacology Early Career Award from the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) . The ASPET Division for Neuropharmacology established this award to recognize and honor a young independent investigator working in neuropharmacology. The award recognizes Dr. Coleman’s his...

Fulton Crews, professor of pharmacology and psychiatry at the UNC School of Medicine, was quoted in an ABC Good Morning America article discussing drinking habits and the benefits of Dry January. The article was originally published in 2018 and was republished this month: Dry January: What is it and how...

Alejandro Lopez, a graduate research assistant at the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, has just discovered a new mechanism for allopregnanolone inhibition of inflammatory signaling. Allopregnanolone inhibits binding of lipopolysaccaride (LPS) to it’s binding site in the binding pocket of the toll-like receptor: Myeloid differentiation factor-2 (TLR4:MD2) protein complex with...

Join the #UNCResearch community as part of our first-ever Catalyst Faculty Research Cluster Program. We’re seeking up to four researchers for tenure-track assistant professor positions to build a new cross-disciplinary team that will advance substance use disorder (SUD) treatment from the bench to the bedside. This cluster hiring initiative builds...

The Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies hosted its annual fall picnic on October 26, with members enjoying a warm autumn day filled with pumpkin carving, lawn games, and great company. The sunny weather made it the perfect setting for fun and relaxation. Thank you to everyone who joined us for...

Christian Hendershot, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry and director of the Clinical and Translational Addiction Research Program at the UNC School of Medicine, presented early findings from the first completed randomized controlled trial of semaglutide for reducing alcohol consumption in heavy drinkers. Read more.

Fulton Crews, Ph.D., a John Andrews Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Pharmacology and BCAS faculty member, was named a “Highly Ranked Scholar” in alcohol use disorder research by ScholarGPS. “Highly Ranked Scholars” are the most productive (measured by number of publications) authors whose works are of profound impact (measured by...