Rueben Gonzales' current research interests include the effects of ethanol on basic dopaminergic neuronal activity in vivo, and the involvement of dopamine in ethanol self-administration behavior. Other interests include the physical characterization and theoretical description of diffusion behavior of solutes during in vivo microdialysis. Dr. Gonzales is an expert in the field of alcohol studies. His research concentrates on the effects of alcohol on the brain and other organ systems and drinking behavior in humans. He has published over seventy articles on his research. Among his awards is the MERIT grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (2009).