Scott Vrieze

Ph.D., Psychology, University of Minnesota
M.A., Psychology, University of Minnesota
B.A., Psychology, Philosophy, University of Minnesota

Assistant Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder
Faculty Fellow, Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder

My primary research interest is in understanding genetic and environmental influences on addiction, with a specific focus on substance use and abuse in adolescence and early adulthood. I use a variety of designs to pursue this aim, including genetic association studies using array-based genotypes and sequencing to test for main effects of common and rare variants, longitudinal twin and adoption designs that provide traction in disentangling the interplay of genes and environment, and novel research designs and computational approaches. The latter includes, for example, use of the electronic medical record to ascertain large cohorts of psychiatric patients, possibly with genotypes, while preserving and respecting patient privacy and autonomy.