Vijay Ramchandani, Ph.D.

Dr. Ramchandani conducts research on the way alcohol is absorbed and eliminated by the body, and on how alcohol affects the way the brain works. He documents the interaction between genes and environment: for example how different foods change the rate at which alcohol is eliminated, a process normally under genetic control in the liver. An Investigator in the Human Genetics Studies component of the Indiana Alcohol Research Center, he examines how a family history of alcoholism influences the brainÕs response to alcohol. As a member of the Alcohol Medical Scholars Program, Dr. Ramchandani is active in the effort to improve education about alcohol and substance abuse in US medical schools. His lecture on the pharmacology of alcohol is taught to medical students during their chemical dependency rotation, enhancing their training in the diagnosis and treatment of alcohol-dependent patients.