Cody Siciliano

New research reveals that alcohol use can cause long-lasting changes in the brain’s dopamine system, even during abstinence. Vanderbilt researchers found that even after a month without alcohol, key regulators of dopamine activity remained altered, potentially increasing the risk of relapse. The study also challenges long-held assumptions about how gene expression relates to brain function, opening new doors for precision treatments in alcohol use disorder. Read More

The burning sensation you feel in your mouth when you sip alcohol has a name: oral chemesthesis. Understanding this sensation better could lead to new treatments for alcohol use disorders, but research in this area is scarce. Assistant Professor of Pharmacology Cody Siciliano aims to change that with his project, “Neural Mechanisms of Oral Chemesthesis,” which has been awarded a $1.3 million grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation. Read More

An $8.9 million grant from the NIH will establish the Vanderbilt AUD Research and Education Center, enhancing Vanderbilt University’s national leadership in neuroscience and addiction research. This initiative aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, advance understanding and treatment of alcohol use disorder, and engage the public through education and outreach efforts. Read More

The latest scientific research from Basic Sciences faculty and trainees. Read More

By Aaron Conley Emily Hodges, assistant professor of biochemistry, and Cody Siciliano, assistant professor of pharmacology, have been named Dean’s Faculty Fellows of the School of Medicine Basic Sciences. The Dean’s Faculty Fellows program, started in 2020, is designed to recognize the efforts of faculty in the early… Read More