Donita Robinson

Donita Robinson, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and an Associate Dean of Graduate Education. She is affiliated with the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies and leads the Behavioral and Pharmacological Neurodynamics Lab. Her research focuses on understanding how addictive substances like alcohol and nicotine alter corticostriatal circuit activity, particularly during adolescence. Using electrophysiology, optogenetics, and imaging techniques, her work examines dopamine dynamics and behavioral flexibility in rodent models. Collaborations with Dr. Charlotte Boettiger enable translational studies bridging rodent and human research. Key areas include adolescent alcohol exposure's long-term effects on brain circuits, reward-seeking behaviors, and translational strategies to address addiction. Dr. Robinson also contributes to graduate education and program director scholarship initiatives.