Dr Jessica Salvatore

I am a developmental psychologist with training in psychiatric and behavioral genetics. One question drives my program of research: Why do some people develop alcohol and other substance use disorders, while others remain healthy? I bring together a developmental psychopathology perspective and the tools of psychiatric genetics to answer this question. This unique transdisciplinary approach considers how genes and environmental factors come together across development to influence substance use outcomes, with a particular focus on alcohol to date. I integrate multiple methods within my program of research, including twin and family studies, molecular genetic studies, population-based registry studies, and longitudinal studies.