Arlene Martinez-Rivera

Arlene Martinez-Rivera is an Assistant Professor at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, where she conducts research at the Center for Substance Abuse Research. Her work focuses on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying substance use disorders, particularly opioid addiction, and explores novel therapeutic strategies targeting the endocannabinoid system.

Her research interests lie at the intersection of molecular neuroscience, behavioral pharmacology, and addiction medicine. She employs a multidisciplinary approach using genetic mouse models, viral vectors, chemogenetics, in vivo optical imaging, and behavioral assays such as conditioned place preference and self-administration. Her primary focus is on the role of monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) in modulating the rewarding effects of opioids like morphine and oxycodone, aiming to dissociate reward from analgesia for safer pain management.

The analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong and consistent research trajectory in neuropharmacology of addiction. Her work emphasizes the therapeutic potential of MAGL inhibition in disrupting opioid reward pathways without compromising analgesic efficacy. Themes across her articles include sex differences, environmental influences, neural circuit dynamics, microglial involvement, and the development of dual-target inhibitors, reflecting a comprehensive and translational approach to treating opioid use disorder.

• Diversity Supplement Recipient Scholar, National Institute on Drug Abuse/NIH (2015-2017)
• M merit Travel Award, International Behavioral Neuroscience Society (IBNS) (2017)
• T32 Transdisciplinary Research Training Fellowship, NIH/NHLBI Hunter-Weill Cornell Medicine (2017-2019)
• M merit Travel Award, International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS) (2018)
• Carl Storm Underrepresented Minority Fellowship, Neurobiology of Drug Addiction Conference, GRC (2022)

Arlene Martinez-Rivera has been supported by prestigious training and research grants from the NIH and other organizations, indicating strong institutional and federal backing for her work. While no formal advisees are listed in the provided text, her role as a principal investigator within Dr. Anjali Rajadhyaksha's lab suggests active mentorship of graduate students and research staff. Her research program is highly collaborative and integrates both basic science and translational perspectives.

She is a key member of the Center for Substance Abuse Research at Temple University, a multidisciplinary hub dedicated to understanding the biological, psychological, and social factors contributing to addiction. Her work contributes to the center’s mission of developing innovative treatments for substance use disorders through cutting-edge neuroscience research.