Lisa M. Tarantino

Lisa M. Tarantino, PhD, is a Professor of Genetics and Pharmacotherapy/Experimental Therapeutics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She holds dual appointments in the School of Medicine and the Eshelman School of Pharmacy. As Faculty Director of the Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program and Assistant Dean for Research at the Eshelman School of Pharmacy, she leads interdisciplinary research initiatives and academic governance.

Her research focuses on genetic influences on behavior, particularly using mouse models to study addiction, anxiety, stress, and depression. She employs forward genetic approaches, including inbred strains and mutagenesis, to identify genes and environmental interactions affecting behavior.

Dr. Tarantino has authored over 70 peer-reviewed publications in journals like Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews and Genes, Brain and Behavior, emphasizing reproducibility in preclinical research and sex differences in addiction mechanisms.