William Stoops

William Stoops is Professor in Behavioral Science at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, with joint appointments in Psychiatry and Psychology. He directs the Regulatory Knowledge and Support Core at the Center for Clinical and Translational Science and serves as Associate Vice President for Research Integrity. His research, continuously NIH-funded since 2008, focuses on behavioral pharmacology of substance use disorders, particularly stimulants, opioids, and alcohol.

• PhD, Experimental Psychology (University of Kentucky, 2005)
• MA, Experimental Psychology (University of Kentucky, 2003)
• BA, Psychology (Davidson College, 2000)

Stoops' research integrates human laboratory trials with pharmacological analysis, examining neurotransmitter systems (serotonin, glutamate, orexin) and developing interventions like orexin antagonism for alcohol use disorder and troriluzole for methamphetamine use. His work also addresses polysubstance use through translational frameworks.

Recent publications focus on inflammatory biomarkers in cocaine use, cannabis self-administration prediction models, and health disparities in cocaine treatment for Black Americans. Current NIH grants include R01AA030775, R01DA060632, and R01DA063069.

• Joseph Cochin Young Investigator Award (2013)
• Presidential Citation, American Psychological Association (2020)
• Fellow, American Psychological Association (2013)
• Researcher of the Year, Kentucky Psychological Association (2024)

As Associate Vice President for Research Integrity, Stoops oversees research compliance while leading human behavioral pharmacology studies. He serves on multiple university research priority areas including Substance Use, Neuroscience, and Cancer Prevention.