John Mantsch

John Mantsch, PhD is the Florence J. Williams Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), a position he assumed in January 2021. Prior to joining MCW, Dr. Mantsch served as Chair of the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Marquette University, where he was a faculty member since 2001.

Dr. Mantsch received his BS in psychology from Allegheny College in 1993 and earned his PhD in Pharmacology & Toxicology with a specialization in neuropharmacology from Louisiana State University Medical Center (now LSU Health) in Shreveport. He completed postdoctoral training under Dr. Mary Jeanne Kreek in the Laboratory on the Biological of Addictive Disease at the Rockefeller University.

Dr. Mantsch's research program focuses on the neurobiology of stress, motivated behavior, and addiction, with continuous NIH funding since 2003. His laboratory leverages advances in neuroscience to better understand and develop interventions for stress-related disorders and addiction. Current research lines include:

• Stress-induced relapse to drug seeking and the neural pathways responsible
• How stress and sex hormones influence drug-seeking behavior through rapid non-genomic mechanisms
• Chronic stress-induced prefrontal cortex dysfunction and impaired motivation
• Community-level factors influencing overdose risk in Milwaukee County

Analysis of Dr. Mantsch's recent publications reveals a strong interdisciplinary approach spanning basic neuroscience, translational research, and community health. His work increasingly integrates neuropharmacology with public health perspectives, examining how structural factors like racism and social adversity contribute to substance use disorders and mental health disparities. This reflects a growing trend in his research toward addressing health equity issues while maintaining a strong foundation in neurobiological mechanisms of addiction.

Dr. Mantsch holds the prestigious Florence J. Williams Professorship, an endowed chair position at MCW. His research has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health since 2003, demonstrating sustained recognition of his scientific contributions to the field of addiction neuroscience.

With 20 years of pharmacology teaching experience, Dr. Mantsch maintains an extensive record of mentoring graduate students, undergraduate students, and postdoctoral trainees. His translational research efforts extend to community health initiatives focused on mental health, health disparities, and substance use disorders. Notably, he co-founded Promentis Pharmaceuticals, a company now developing medications for neuropsychiatric diseases, demonstrating his commitment to translating basic research findings into clinical applications.

Dr. Mantsch leads a dynamic research laboratory investigating the neural mechanisms underlying stress and addiction. His team employs a range of methodologies from molecular and systems neuroscience to community-based participatory research, reflecting his commitment to addressing substance use disorders through multiple scientific lenses. His work with local partners in Milwaukee to understand determinants of overdose risk exemplifies his laboratory's community-engaged approach to tackling the opioid epidemic.