Mark D. Egli, Ph.D. | NIAAA

Director, Division of Neuroscience and Behavior, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Mark D. Egli, Ph.D.

Dr. Mark Egli manages an extramural research grant portfolio, encompassing studies on the neural and behavioral aspects of alcohol use disorder (AUD), as well as research on associated chronic pain conditions, cognitive impairment, and recovery processes.

Dr. Egli represents NIAAA on the NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term® (HEAL) Initiative, contributing to funding opportunities for research on treatments for co-occurring AUD-OUD, and the influence of alcohol misuse on chronic pain. He provides expert advice to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Preclinical Screening Platform for Pain (PSPP) program aligned with the HEAL goal of identifying and profiling non-addictive therapeutics for pain. Dr. Egli also represents NIAAA on the NIH Pain Consortium.

Dr. Egli launched the NIAAA Preclinical Medication Efficacy Testing Program in 2007 and continues to promote discovery of therapeutic mechanisms for AUD. He represents NIAAA on the NIH Common Fund's Complement Animal Research In Experimentation (Complement-ARIE) Program to promote lab or computer-based research approaches that more accurately model human biology, and complement or replace traditional research models.

Dr. Egli was a founding member and previous Chair of the NIH Program Leadership Committee, contributed to the NIH Sex as a Biological Variable policy, and led recommendations for innovative scientific collaborations as part of the ongoing NIH COVID-19 Response Intra-Action Review.

Dr. Egli received his doctorate in psychology from the University of Minnesota with an emphasis on the experimental analysis of behavior and behavioral pharmacology. He conducted research on environmental and genetic influences on behavior and cognition in people with intellectual disabilities at the Vanderbilt University Kennedy Center. He continues to be motivated by the profound impact NIH has on improving public health and seeks opportunities to expand research and policy in the behavioral and health sciences.