George Koob

George F. Koob (born 1947) is a professor and former chair of the Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders at the Scripps Research Institute and adjunct professor of Psychology, Psychiatry, and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of California, San Diego. In 2014 he became the director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and continues to hold that position.

Biography Koob holds a B.S. in Zoology from Pennsylvania State University (1969) and a Ph.D. in Behavioral Physiology from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (1972).

Cancelled NIAAA Study

After reports broke that members of NIAAA staff had approached the alcohol industry for the purpose of funding a study into moderate drinking, an investigation was conducted that identified the conduct occurred prior to Koob's tenure. Koob expressed disapproval at the ethically-compromised study, and canceled it in June 2018, while the investigation exonerated him of wrongdoing.

Professional training and positions

2014–present Director, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 2006–2014 Professor and Chair, Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, The Scripps Research Institute. 1999–2003 Medical Advisory Counsel, ABMRF/The Foundation for Alcohol Research. 1995–Present Director, Alcohol Research Center, The Scripps Research Institute. 1990-2006 Professor, Molecular and Integrative Neurosciences Department (formerly the Department of Neuropharmacology), The Scripps Research Institute. 1983-1989 Associate Member (with tenure), Division of Preclinical Neuroscience and Endocrinology, The Scripps Research Institute. 1983-1989 Associate Member (with tenure), Division of Preclinical Neuroscience and Endocrinology, The Scripps Research Institute. 1977-1983 Staff Scientist, Arthur Vining Davis Center for Behavioral Neurobiology, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies. 1975-1977 Postdoctoral Fellow with Susan D. Iversen, University of Cambridge, Department of Experimental Psychology, Medical Research Council, Neurochemical Pharmacology Unit. Studies in: catecholamines and behavior. 1972-1975 Staff Scientist, Department of Neurophysiology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. Studies in: brain lesions, brain stimulation, behavior, neurochemistry, psychopharmacology. 1969-1972 Predoctoral Fellow, Johns Hopkins University, Department of Environmental Medicine. Training in: physiology, behavior, neurochemistry, environmental physiology. 1965-1969 Undergraduate, Pennsylvania State University, Training in: zoology and psychology.

University Affiliation:

2006–present Adjunct Professor, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego. 1989–present Adjunct Professor, Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego. 1983-1989 Associate Adjunct Professor, Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego. 1987-1989 Associate Adjunct Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego. 1980-1983 Assistant Adjunct Professor, Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego.

Journal Editor:

Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior (Editor-in-Chief, 1994–present) Journal of Addiction Medicine (Senior Editor, 2007–present) Brain Research (Section Editor, 2008–present; Special Issue Guest Editor, Biomedical Alcohol Research, 2009, vol. 1305S)

Awards:

Phi Sigma Society Alpha Zeta Fraternity Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award, Revelle College, University of California, San Diego (1988) Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award, Muir College, University of California, San Diego (1989) Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award, Warren College, University of California, San Diego (1992, 1993, 1995) Daniel H. Efron Award, Excellence in Research in Neuropsychopharmacology, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (1991) Highly Cited Researcher, Institute for Scientific Information (2001) Distinguished Investigator Award, Research Society on Alcoholism (2002) ASAM Annual Award, American Society of Addiction Medicine (2002) Tharp Award, James H. Tharp Trust Committee, Research Society on Alcoholism (2002) Most Valuable Professor, Muir College, University of California, San Diego (2004) Mark Keller Award, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (2004) Faculty Excellence Award, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego (2006) Honorary Doctorate of Science, Pennsylvania State University (2009) Outstanding UCSD Professor Award, Panhellenic Council, University of California, San Diego (2010) Honorary Doctorate of Science, University of Bordeaux (2013) Chevalier, Legion of Honour (France) (2016)

Lectureships:

Commencement Speaker, Warren College, University of California, San Diego (1993) Boots Distinguished Neuroscientist, Louisiana State University Medical Center (1989) Grass Foundation Lecturer, Society for Neuroscience, Indianapolis Chapter (1990) Grass Foundation Lecturer, Society for Neuroscience, Central New York Chapter (1990) Grass Foundation Lecturer, Society for Neuroscience, South Carolina Chapter (1992) Grass Foundation Lecturer, Society for Neuroscience, West Virginia Chapter (1993) Grass Foundation Lecturer, Society for Neuroscience, Northern Rocky Mountain Chapter (1994) John C. Forbes Honors Lectureship, School of Basic Health Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University (1991) Wendy and Stanley Marsh Endowed Lectureship, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo (1999) Bowles Lectureship, Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina (2000) Jellinek Lectureship, Substance Abuse Treatment Unit, Yale University School of Medicine (2000) Mark Nickerson Memorial Lecture Award, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada (2006) Paul Stark Lecture, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester Medical Center (2008) Louis S. Harris Sterling Drug Visiting Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University (2009). Lyon-Voorhees Lectureship, University of Colorado Denver (2010). Norman E. Zinberg Memorial Lecture, Department of Psychiatry, Division on Addictions, Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School (2010).