Imaging the Addicted Brain

Natalie M. Zahr, Ph.D. is a research scientist at Stanford University and SRI International. Her graduate education in the basic sciences included the study of neuro- anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology. After she completed graduate training as an electrophysiologist, she began postdoctoral training as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scientist. Her current position as research scientist focuses on translational approaches using in vivo MR imaging and spectroscopy in studies of human alcoholics and rodent models of alcoholism with the goal of identifying mechanisms of alcohol toxicity on the brain. Her position allows her to explore emerging MR technologies and apply them to test relevant hypotheses. She has taught courses in Anatomy and Neuroscience at UC Berkeley Extension and enjoys sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm for learning with her students. Her interests include traveling, hosting parties, skiing, kite surfing, scuba diving, hiking, and yoga.

Eric Peterson, Ph.D. is a research scientist at SRI International. Formerly he held research positions at Stanford University, the University of Bordeaux, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he received his Ph.D. His training is in biomedical engineering and medical physics with a focus on the development and advancement of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The common thread of development of MRI techniques has led him to research asthma, cardiac obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Alzheimer’s dementia, stroke, and alcoholism. His current work is to develop new MRI methods in order to explore never before studied aspects of alcoholism. Outside of his research, he enjoys living in the vibrant San Francisco Bay Area, traveling, playing squash, and going rock climbing and hiking.