Melissa Herman

Melissa Herman, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and a member of the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies. Her research focuses on inhibitory neuronal networks, particularly how GABAergic signaling regulates brain function and dysregulation associated with alcohol and drug addiction. She investigates the role of tonic and synaptic inhibition in regions like the amygdala, nucleus tractus solitarius, and ventral tegmental area.

Key research areas include:

• Inhibitory microcircuitry governing motivated behaviors and dependence
• Alcohol-induced changes in tonic inhibition and neuronal excitability
• Nicotine and vaping effects on reward circuits and neuronal activity
• Psilocybin’s impact on serotonin systems and addiction-related behaviors

Her work combines electrophysiological techniques with behavioral paradigms to dissect mechanisms underlying substance use disorders. Recent publications emphasize sex differences, stress interactions, and translational models of addiction.

Labs/Teams: The Herman Lab explores neuroplasticity in alcohol/drug effects, focusing on GABAergic networks. Current projects include investigating nicotine vaping’s impact on dopamine signaling and psilocybin’s potential in treating addiction.