Nora D. Volkow, M.D., Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, has reshaped how the world understands addiction—establishing it as a brain disorder through decades of groundbreaking research. She pioneered the use of brain imaging to show how drugs alter dopamine pathways tied to reward, motivation, and self‑control, and her work has also advanced understanding of obesity, ADHD, and aging.

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Born in Mexico, Dr. Volkow graduated at the top of her class from the National University of Mexico before completing her psychiatric residency at NYU, where she was recognized as one of the nation’s top residents. She went on to spend much of her career at Brookhaven National Laboratory, holding major leadership roles while also serving as a professor and associate dean at SUNY Stony Brook.

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A prolific scientist, she has authored nearly a thousand peer‑reviewed papers and multiple books, earning honors such as the Nathan Davis Award, the International Prize from INSERM, the Carnegie Prize in Mind and Brain Sciences, and induction into the CHADD Hall of Fame. She has been named to Time’s “Top 100 People Who Shape Our World,” Newsweek’s “20 People to Watch,” and Fortune’s list of leaders transforming health care.