The Science of Drug Addiction: Human Behavior Under the Influence

A Talk by Dr. Charlotte Wincott of Rockefeller University.

Addiction is a worldwide problem, devastating the lives of those who suffer from it. In 2013, over 15,000 people died from heroin or prescription opioid overdoses in the United States. Addiction is not only deadly, it is also costly; drug-related crime and healthcare expenses cost Americans over 700 billion dollars per year, according to The National Institute on Drug Abuse. Genetics and environmental factors have been shown to contribute to individuals’ propensity to become dependent on drugs of abuse, with few available treatment options. For these reasons, understanding the basic science underlying the trajectory that leads individuals to compulsive drug use and addiction is very important. These issues will be discussed in an engaging talk by Dr. Charlotte Wincott, addiction scientist at Rockefeller University and Vice President of Know Science.

Dr. Charlotte Wincott, Scientist at the Rockefeller University, holds a B.S. degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in psychology and a Ph.D. from New York University in neuroscience, where she studied the role of glutamate receptors in learning, memory, and reward-related behavior. She is currently a postdoctoral research fellow at The Rockefeller University where she is thrilled to have the opportunity to study heroin addiction. As an undergraduate at VCU, Charlotte served as President and Event Coordinator of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and was active in her community, spearheading numerous service projects to raise awareness for suicide prevention and domestic abuse. Charlotte also organized a variety of fundraising drives to benefit The Virginia Holocaust Museum, the homeless, and local food banks. Charlotte has been an instructor of chemistry, biology, neuroscience, and psychology and currently teaches at Fordham University in addition to conducting her research studies at Rockefeller. In Charlotte’s free time, she enjoys spending time with her young son Wolfgang and is also a musician, having recorded multiple albums/EPs in her lifetime.