Dr. Suzette Evans is the Director of the Women’s Research Center in the Division on Substance Abuse, with Dr. Stephanie Collins Reed as the Co-Director. The primary research focus is related to women’s health issues specifically related to substance abuse and the menstrual cycle. Dr. Evans has had a grant since 1995 to conduct human laboratory studies to assess vulnerability to drug and alcohol abuse in subgroups of women at increased risk for substance abuse problems.

Over the last several years Dr. Evans and Dr. Reed have been conducting a series of studies on stress response and the effects of alcohol and d-amphetamine on measures of impulsivity in various groups of women, including women with childhood sexual abuse and women with bulimia nervosa. They are collaborating with Dr. Walsh, Director of the Eating Disorder Unit on this project and are also collaborating with Dr. Mary Jeanne Kreek, at Rockefeller University, to assess genetic associations in these women. Dr. Evans and Dr. Reed are also investigating sex differences in response to stress and measures of impulsivity in cocaine abusers. Dr. Evans is a member of CPDD, ACNP, RSA and the American Psychological Association.

In 2007 she served as President of Division 28 (Psychopharmacology and Substance Abuse)of the American Psychological Association. Dr. Evans is currently PI of 2 federally-funded grants and has published over 95 peer-reviewed papers.