معرفی
Scott Rawls is a Professor at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, affiliated with the Department of Neural Sciences, the Center for Substance Abuse Research, and the Department of Biomedical Education and Data Science. His research spans neuropharmacology, addiction science, and educational innovation.
- Department: Neural Sciences
- School: Lewis Katz School of Medicine
- University: Temple University
- Email: scott.rawls@temple.edu
Dr. Rawls’ research focuses on the neuropharmacology of drugs of abuse, particularly cocaine, opioids, and synthetic cathinones (e.g., mephedrone, MDPV). His lab investigates the role of the glutamate system—especially GLT-1 transporters—in addiction, with a focus on how β-lactam antibiotics like ceftriaxone and clavulanic acid can modulate addictive behaviors. He also pioneers the use of planarian flatworms as a model organism to study addiction mechanisms and develop inquiry-based science curricula for K-12 and undergraduate education.
The recent publications highlight a strong trend in targeting glutamate transporters for treating stimulant and opioid addiction, exploring neuroimmune interactions in dependence, and validating non-mammalian models for behavioral pharmacology. His work bridges basic science with translational applications, emphasizing novel therapeutics and educational outreach.
- NIDA Postdoctoral Fellowship
- NIH RC1 Challenge Grant
- R25 NIDA Grant
Dr. Rawls has secured significant grant funding from the National Institutes of Health, including an RC1 grant to study β-lactam compounds in addiction models and an R25 grant to develop addiction science education using planarians. He mentors students and collaborators in both research and curriculum development, contributing to both scientific advancement and public understanding of substance abuse. His laboratory is at the forefront of integrating behavioral models with molecular pharmacology.
His lab utilizes rat, mouse, and planarian models to investigate drug effects, withdrawal, and neurochemical changes. The planarian model serves dual purposes: as a rigorous platform for screening novel compounds and as a tool for hands-on science education, significantly reducing the need for mammalian testing.
