Three winners of Patrick Guthrie Hawks for Hope Research Awards announced

The Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment has announced the three recipients of the Patrick Guthrie Hawks for Hope Research Awards.

Two graduate students, Joe Bellitti and Brandon Miller, and one undergraduate student, Izzy Estes, were honored with the awards to support their diverse research projects.

Bellitti, a student in the Health, Behavior and Technology Lab is mentored by Tera Fazzino, associate director at the Cofrin Logan Center. Bellitti will use the funding award for his dissertation research, which will explore the role of sodium in the addictive potential of hyper-palatable foods.

Miller, a student in the Behavioral Economics and Addictions Neuroscience Lab, is mentored by Michael Amlung, associate director for training at the Cofrin Logan Center. Miller will use the funding from the award for his dissertation project, which will explore the factors that influence cannabis use.  

Estes, a student in the Behavioral Health Research Group is mentored by Richard Yi, director of the Cofrin Logan Center. The award will help fund her undergraduate research project that will examine the efficacy of an art-based intervention among cigarette smokers.  

The awards were established by the family of Patrick Guthrie in his memory to fuel discoveries and reduce the stigma of substance use disorders.