|
Dr. Mark Willenbring Joins NIAAA
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Director Ting-Kai Li, M.D., announced today that Mark
Willenbring, M.D., has joined NIAAA as the Director of the
Institute's Division of Treatment and Recovery Research
(DTRR).
"NIAAA is fortunate to have Dr. Willenbring on board,"
says Dr. Li, "as he brings to NIAAA expertise in a range of
issues in clinical research on alcohol and other drugs of
abuse, including expertise in medication development — an
area of critical importance to the Institute's treatment
research agenda."
In his new position, Dr. Willenbring will be responsible
for stimulating, developing and supporting clinical
research on therapies for alcohol abuse and alcoholism. He
also will work with intramural scientists at NIAAA and
other NIH Institutes to advance what we know about treating
alcohol abuse and alcoholism.
Dr. Willenbring comes to NIAAA from the University of
Minnesota, School of Medicine, where he served as Professor
of Psychiatry. For the past 12 years, he also has served as
Medical Director of the Addictive Disorders Section at the
Veteran's Affairs Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Dr. Willenbring received his M.D. from the University of
Minnesota and did his internship at St Paul-Ramsey Medical
Center in St. Paul. He completed his residency in
psychiatry at the University of California, Davis.
Dr. Willenbring's research interests include
pharmacotherapies for alcohol and other drug abuse, alcohol
and tobacco, the treatment of co-occurring disorders, the
interaction of treatment for alcohol use disorders and
hepatitis C, and implementing research findings into
clinical practice. During his distinguished research career
he has published on topics ranging from medications for
alcohol dependence and mental health disorders and
psychoneuroendocrinology, to case management and service
delivery, hepatitis C, and evidence-based practice
guidelines. For the past five years, Dr. Willenbring has
been a national leader in a large-scale effort within the
VA to implement evidence-based practices in substance use
disorder treatment.
Professional accolades accorded Dr. Willenbring include:
- Distinguished Fellow in the American Psychiatric
Association
- Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and
Neurology
- Diplomate of the National Board of Medical Examiners
- Numerous awards from the Veterans Administration
- GEICO Federal Public Service Award for Alcoholism
Prevention and Treatment
For an interview with Dr. Willenbring, please call the NIAAA Press
Office. For additional information on alcohol research and related
NIAAA activities, please visit www.niaaa.nih.gov.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, a component
of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, conducts and supports approximately 90 percent
of the U.S. research on the causes, consequences, prevention, and
treatment of alcohol abuse, alcoholism, and alcohol problems and
disseminates research findings to general, professional, and academic
audiences. Additional alcohol research information and publications
are available at www.niaaa.nih.gov.
|
