My broad research interests lie at the intersection of genetics, genomics and neuroscience. My current research focuses on the interplay between genetic, epigenetic and environmental causes in controlling brain gene expression in alcoholism. I study chromatin and gene expression profiles in human brain and animal models using microarrays and next generation sequencing and apply systems approaches to data analysis to provide an integrated view of brain changes associated with alcohol-related neuroplasticity and neuropathology. An important component of this effort is discovering and prioritizing molecular targets for medication development to treat human alcoholism and other CNS disorders. My collaborators and I validate functional significance of the most promising targets using a combination of approaches that include reverse genetics, chromatin assays and behavioral pharmacology.