Marisa Roberto

Marisa Roberto is a Professor at Scripps Research, holding the Paul and Cleo Schimmel Endowed Chair in the Department of Molecular Medicine. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego. Her research focuses on understanding the neuronal mechanisms underlying addiction, particularly alcohol dependence.

Dr. Roberto earned her B.A. and Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Pisa in 1996 and 2001, respectively. Her work has significantly advanced our understanding of synaptic and molecular mechanisms related to alcohol's effects on the brain, with a particular focus on the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), a brain region critical for processing emotional responses and stress.

Her research examines how drugs of abuse affect neuronal function and synaptic transmission using electrophysiological, pharmacological, and molecular methods. She has characterized neuroadaptive changes that provide insights into synaptic transmission and potential therapeutic targets for alcoholism. Her lab has made seminal contributions to understanding the roles of neuropeptides like corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), nociceptin, and neuropeptide Y in alcohol dependence, as well as exploring the actions of PACAP, endocannabinoids, and opioids on CeA synaptic transmission.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a consistent focus on the intersection of stress systems and alcohol use disorder, with increasing attention to comorbid conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder. Her work spans multiple levels of analysis from molecular and cellular mechanisms to behavioral outcomes, with a strong translational focus aimed at developing new therapeutic approaches.

• Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) (2009)
• Young Investigator Award from the Research Society on Alcoholism (2005)
• Young Investigator Symposium Award from ESBRA (2007)
• Knight of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy (2011)
• International Prize Genoa: a woman standing out from the crowd (2013)
• Jacob P. Waletzky Award for Outstanding Research in Addiction (2016)

Dr. Roberto has trained numerous postdoctoral fellows who have gone on to successful independent careers in academia and industry. She has organized multiple international conferences on alcoholism and stress, demonstrating her leadership in the field. Her lab continues to investigate the neurocircuitry of addiction, with recent work focusing on neuroimmune factors, sex differences, and the development of novel pharmacotherapies for alcohol use disorder.

The Roberto Laboratory maintains an active research program studying the cellular and synaptic mechanisms underlying alcohol dependence, with particular emphasis on the central amygdala and its connections with other brain regions involved in stress and reward processing. The lab employs a multidisciplinary approach combining electrophysiology, pharmacology, molecular biology, and behavioral neuroscience to address fundamental questions about addiction mechanisms.