Alcohol dependence

The Samuel C. Johnson Genomics of Addiction Program was established in 2004, with the goal of identifying genetic variation that contributes to risk of alcohol dependence and related traits. Since that time, the program has greatly expanded partly through a center grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to establish the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Treatment of Alcohol Dependence. The center includes four interrelated projects comprising of both genomic and brain-imaging studies to investigate interindividual differences in response to alcoholism treatment using acamprosate.

Dr. Biernacka's research group works closely with all investigators within the Samuel C. Johnson Genomics of Addiction Program to design studies and provide statistical analysis and interpretation of results.