Research Analyst

Job Summary

This program of research investigates personality and neurocognitive risk factors for addiction and neurocognitive sequelae of chronic drug use. Dr. Jasmine Vassileva's research over the past fifteen years has focused more closely on impulsivity, a complex and multidimensional construct implicated both as an antecedent risk factor and a consequence of chronic drug use. These studies examine the role of various dimensions of impulsivity in different types of addiction, which Dr. Vassileva explore using neurocognitive, neuroimaging, personality, psychiatric, genomic, and computational approaches. Her studies aim to determine which of the multiple dimensions of impulsivity are common across addictions and which are unique to specific classes of drugs.

Typical Duties

The Research Scholar assisting with these studies will be analyzing the data collected in the pilot feasibility study with the Neuroscience Informed Psycho-Education for Resilience (NIPER) intervention that we tested with VCU Spit for Science participants. They will also be assisting in revising the content of the NIPER program based on feedback we received from participants in the feasibility study. Finally, they will be assisting and actively participating in the preparation and submission of a grant application to NIDA to conduct an RCT with NIPER.