George F. Koob, is Director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). He is also a Senior Investigator at the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute on Drug Abuse where he directs the Neurobiology of Addiction Laboratory in the Integrative Neurosciences Research Branch.

As an authority on alcohol use disorder, drug addiction and stress, he has contributed to our understanding of the neurocircuitry associated with the acute reinforcing effects of alcohol and drugs and the neuroadaptations of the reward and stress circuits associated with the transition to dependence. He has published over 800 peer reviewed papers, mentored 13 Ph. D students, 85 post-doctoral fellows, 11 K99’s and authored several books including the “Neurobiology of Addiction”. He received his Ph.D. in Behavioral Physiology from Johns Hopkins University in 1972. He did post-doctoral studies at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and the University of Cambridge (England). He subsequently held positions at The Salk Institute and the Scripps Research Institute. Dr. Koob is the recipient of many honors, including membership in the National Academy of Medicine (USA) and award of the Legion of Honor (France).