Research Associate, Harris and Mayfield Labs

Initially trained as a forensic scientist and analytical chemist, Dr. Farris personally witnessed the negative impact substance abuse has on individuals, their families, and the general public. Pursuing academic research, to help better understand and ultimately treat substance use disorders, he received a doctoral degree in Pharmacology and Toxicology from Virginia Commonwealth University. Using his cross-disciplinary training, Dr. Farris seeks to effectively bridge areas of clinical and pre-clinical research by investigating the connection between genes, biological systems, and behavior. Dr. Farris has pioneered bioinformatics approaches, across both humans and multiple model organisms, for data-driven discovery of fundamental biology and multi-scale processes disrupted in the neurobiology of addiction. Leveraging a rapidly growing collection of public and private high-throughput datasets, his studies are actively identifying new molecular candidates and potential pharmacotherapies for alcohol use disorder.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), through both the National Institute of Drug Abuse and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, have continuously supported Dr. Farris’ research. He has received several national and international awards, including multiple National Research Service Awards, and is a recipient of a prestigious NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00). Any success Dr. Farris has had he attributes to the support received from a network of mentors, as well as trusted colleagues inside and outside of the laboratory – to which he is eternally grateful.