Gold receives prestigious award at ASAM conference

Former University of Florida School of Medicine psychiatry chair Mark S. Gold, MD, FASAM, is this year's recipient of the John P. McGovern Award from the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) for contributions to understanding the relationship of addiction and society. Gold, who delivered the opening keynote address at last year's National Conference on Addiction Disorders (NCAD), will be honored along with other ASAM award winners this weekend at the association's annual conference in Austin, Texas.

Gold will address the ASAM audience at an April 25 luncheon in a talk that will chronicle his career in translational research. His areas of focus progressed from a start in memory research in the 1970s to his current emphasis on food addiction, including the role of dopamine genetics in food and substance use issues. Gold currently serves as chairman of RiverMend Health's scientific advisory boards.

Other ASAM award recipients this year include National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) director George F. Koob, PhD (R. Brinkley Smithers Distinguished Scientist Award) and Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) director Michael Botticelli (ASAM Public Policy Award).