Research on the effects of alcohol on a variety of organ systems has been conducted at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine for over two decades. In the late 1990’s, an interdisciplinary group of Faculty from the Departments of: Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry, Medicine (primarily Divisions of Endocrinology and Gastroenterology), Surgery and Orthopedic Surgery began to work together. This unique combination of clinical input and basic research evolved into the Alcohol Research Program (ARP). The Program, now under the leadership of Dr. Elizabeth J. Kovacs, has over three dozen members including faculty, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and technicians. Links to faculty webpages can be found here.

The program, funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health and a number of other external funding resources, centers on three areas:

• Research

• Education

• Prevention

Research: Members of ARP conduct research of the molecular, cellular and physiological responses to acute, binge, and chronic alcohol exposure. Studies center on endocrine, gastrointestinal, immune, nervous, and skeletal systems.

Education: Both pre- and post-doctoral training are integral parts of the ARP.
Pre-doctoral trainees will be from one of the degree granting programs: 1) Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, 2) Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry Program, and 3) Neuroscience Program. Training is supported by a training grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism entitled Training in Neuroimmunoendocrine Effects of Alcohol.

Prevention: In concert with the Injury Prevention Program of the Burn and Shock Trauma Institute, members of ARP are developing community-based education and prevention programs, which will provide a resource for schools, teen centers, and religious organizations to learn more about the deleterious effects of alcohol consumption.