The Pearson Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research, at Scripps Research La Jolla, was co-founded in 2003 by Dr. Barbara J. Mason and Dr. George F. Koob. Dr. Koob is currently on leave to serve as the Director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Through the generosity of a multi-million dollar gift, The Pearson Center combines the latest biomedical research with new clinical treatments to fight the devastating, costly, and deadly disease of alcohol and drug use disorders.

Alcohol Abuse & Addiction Research

Alcoholism and addiction are diseases of the spirit, behavior, and the brain. Traditional treatment involves group therapy and other psychological counseling to empower the spirit and address destructive behaviors. The physiology of the brain is often ignored.

The Pearson Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research, at Scripps Research La Jolla, is complementing and reinforcing traditional alcoholism and addiction treatments by focusing on the physiological changes in the brain that drive excessive drinking and drug use, and create vulnerability to relapse. Researchers are studying the viability of using new medications, designed at The Scripps Research Institute and elsewhere, to modulate the neurological effects of alcohol, reduce excessive intake, and prevent relapse by normalizing the brain during recovery from alcohol and drug use disorders.

The Pearson Center at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, is a world leader in the biomedical science of alcoholism, addiction, and the brain. It provides fertile environments for breakthroughs and will improve the functioning of individuals with alcohol and drug use disorders.