Patricia Molina, MD, PhD

Patricia E. Molina, MD, PhD, is the Richard Ashman Professor and Head of Physiology, and Director of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Center at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans’ School of Medicine.  Dr. Molina's training as a physician prior to completing training in physiology provides her with a unique systems approach to study the biomedical consequences of chronic heavy alcohol use, with emphasis on the pathophysiological mechanisms that aggravate HIV disease progression. Her research focuses on the interaction of chronic alcohol consumption on progression of HIV disease in preclinical models and in translational studies.  Her research involves integrating in vivo with ex vivo approaches to understand the contribution of organ systems to disease pathogenesis. Another area of research interest and ongoing investigations is the interaction of alcohol with outcomes from traumatic brain injury. Her work examines the mechanisms that lead to greater alcohol drinking during the post-injury phase, and the potential role of the endocannabinoid system in modulating those responses. Dr. Molina is interested in translating research findings to the community at large, and in educating the lay public on the consequences of excessive alcohol consumption. This is particularly relevant to young students and parents as they make decisions on alcohol drinking throughout their life.