Congratulations Dr. McPherson for the Joseph Cochin Young Investigator Award!
Sterling M. McPherson, PhD
WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine
Congratulations to our own Dr. Sterling McPherson for being awarded the 2020 College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD) Joseph Cochin Young Investigator Award! This award is internationally competitive and the highest distinction for early career excellence in the world of addictions research. Over the last 15 years, this award has recognized some of the most notable scientists in addiction, including Drs. Kelly Dunn (2018), Adam Leventhal (2015), William Stoops (2013), Hendree Jones (2008) and Nancy Petry (2007).
“This is a humbling award to receive as I and others stand on the shoulders of scientific giants who have shaped the field of addiction science long before we began our scientific careers. I hope that my being granted this award is a reminder that sound mentorship, surrounding of dedicated and caring colleagues, hard work, and perseverance are critical ingredients to being able to help shape evidence-based treatments for the some of the most vulnerable individuals in society using rigorous biomedical research. I give my thanks to my mentor, Dr. John M. Roll, and so many junior and senior colleagues and students that I get to work with and collaborate with every day.”
Sterling M. McPherson, PhD
Dr. McPherson is an Associate Professor at the Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine and is Executive Faculty at the Program of Excellence in Addictions Research. He completed his PhD in Experimental Psychology in 2010 and a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Psychopharmacology and Substance Abuse while working under the mentorship of Dr. John M. Roll. In 2016, he established and is lead Principal Investigator of the Analytics and PsychoPharmacology Laboratory. He has secured more than $35 million in grants/contracts as PI or Co-I from NIH and other agencies for research ranging from pharmacokinetics to health economics, including PI of a P20 Center of Excellence focused on substance abuse treatment for American Indians. He has led several treatment investigations focused on co-addiction such as alcohol and smoking, and stimulants and smoking. He currently collaborates with several industry partners on NIH-funded work on technology-enhanced addiction treatment and retention platforms. He has published over 90 peer- reviewed articles and is on the Editorial Boards of five scientific journals in the field of addiction, including Psychology of Addictive Behaviors and Addiction. Lastly, he is dedicated to international research with collaborations across seven countries in an effort to better understand and treat addiction globally.