Broadly, my research aims to identify modifiable risk factors for the onset and maintenance of problematic substance use and substance use disorders to aid in the development of effective interventions. I am specifically interested in using intensive longitudinal methods, such as ecological momentary assessment, to study the relationship between heightened emotional states, trait-level emotion-based risk factors, and hazardous drinking behavior. 

Substance use disorders remain a global health crisis with no FDA-approved treatments. My research focuses on understanding how autophagy proteins in dopamine neurons regulate cocaine reward behaviors. Specifically, I investigate how autophagy molecules influence and control cocaine induced reward behavior by modulating dopamine D2 receptor degradation. Using genetic knockout models, pharmacological interventions, and behavioral assays, I aim to characterize the molecular mechanisms underlying cocaine addiction. This work could potentially identify novel therapeutic targets for treating cocaine use disorder and preventing relapse.