We are excited to welcome Gabriela López, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, to the COBRE Center for Addiction and Disease Risk Exacerbation (CADRE) as a pilot project lead. Her project, “Measuring Event-Level Risk Factors for Heavy Drinking and Negative Consequences Among Young Adults with Social Anxiety,” investigates how social anxiety contributes to alcohol use and related negative outcomes in young adults—a population at high risk for developing alcohol use disorder.

This pilot study recruits young adults with moderate to severe social anxiety who engage in regular heavy drinking. Participants complete baseline assessments, a 14-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol, and an exit interview. The study aims to test the feasibility of recruitment, refine EMA methods, and gather preliminary data to guide future interventions and a subsequent R01 study targeting prevention strategies for this vulnerable group.

Dr. López’s work is mentored by Jennifer Merrill, Ph.D., at Brown University, and contributes to CADRE’s mission of understanding the biopsychosocial mechanisms by which substance use exacerbates chronic disease.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. López to the CADRE team!