The Division of Metabolism and Health Effects (DMHE) develops scientific initiatives and supports basic and translational research on the health consequences of alcohol consumption and metabolism, with the goal of improving human health and well-being. The DMHE supports research on the health effects of alcohol that may result from a single dose, chronic or binge drinking behavior emphasizing metabolic pathways, adduct formation, non-enzymatic metabolism, and various substrates that may be affected by alcohol or alcohol metabolites; identification of molecular pathways by which alcohol causes tissue and organ damage; biomarker development to detect and monitor alcohol-induced pathologies; etiology and progression of medical disorders arising from the use of alcohol; and the use of systems biology, bioinformatics, and real-time imaging methods to uncover biological pathways and networks involved in alcohol metabolism and organ damage across the lifespan.

The DMHE encourages multidisciplinary approaches that integrate genetic, molecular, cellular, and animal models to understand mechanisms of alcohol action and injury. Research areas supported by the Division include:

Does your research proposal align with the NIAAA mission?
Answer: We advise you to contact a Program Director listed either below or on a particular Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to discuss your research interests before preparing your application. This will not only help determine whether your proposal is of interest to NIAAA, but will aid in the preparation of your grant application.  Before applying, please ensure:1) that basic research questions you are asking are mechanistically and etiologically relevant to human disease; 2) that the animal model and protocol replicate human disease; and 3) that alcohol feeding model addresses physiological alcohol levels and reflects patterns of human consumption.

Who should I contact within the Division about my research proposal?
Answer: Below is a list of Program Directors and their areas of research interests. The best way to contact a Program Director whose interest aligns with your own is via email. Alternatively, if you would like to speak by phone, please indicate this in an email and a Program Director will contact you soon thereafter.

What is the process for applying for funding?
Answer: When submitting a grant application to NIAAA, extramural researchers can find instructions in the Notice of Funding Opportunity to which they are applying.  See the NIAAA application process homepage for information about grant applications, the peer review process, and understanding how applications are selected for funding.