Departmental News

Posted:  Jul 06, 2018 - 12:00am

Katie Witkiewitz has been named as chairperson of the Addiction Risks and Mechanisms study section by the National Institutes of Health Center for Scientific Review.  Study sections review grant applications submitted to the National Institutes of Health, and in doing so make recommendations to the NIH advisory councils and NIH Program officials about the most promising research and cutting edge science.  As chair of the review group, Katie will be responsible for leading an efficient and effective meeting that assures the quality of the NIH peer review process.

The Addiction Risks and Mechanisms study section reviews applications aimed at understanding the nature, etiology, and progression of addictive behaviors in humans. We primarily review grants submitted to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and National Cancer Institute, and the applications range in topic area from prevention opioid overdose deaths to understanding the neurocognitive effects of cannabis use.

As noted in the letter, individuals are selected to chair based on “demonstrated competence and achievement in their scientific discipline as evidenced by the quality of research accomplishments, publications in scientific journals, and other significant scientific activities, achievements and honors. Service on a study section also requires mature judgment and objectivity as well as the ability to work effectively in a group.”

Katie has been a standing member of the Addiction Risks and Mechanisms study section since 2015 and has served as an ad-hoc grant reviewer for the Center for Scientific Review since 2013.  Katie’s diverse interests and skills from applying advanced quantitative methods to clinical trials research to technology development to translational neuroscience is valuable in reviewing applications for the study section.  Katie is currently Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on 12 NIH grants with over 15 million dollars in current total funding.