Sarah L. Withey, PhD

Sarah L. Withey, PhD, is an instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and an assistant psychobiologist in the Preclinical Behavioral Biology Program at McLean Hospital. Her research focuses on elucidating the pharmacological mechanisms that mediate the behavioral effects of drug misuse. Dr. Withey received her PhD at the University of Bristol, UK, in May 2015. Her thesis focused on the pharmacological mechanisms of opioid tolerance, utilizing both in vitro and in vivo techniques.

Dr. Withey joined the Preclinical Behavioral Biology Program under Dr. Jack Bergman in July 2015. Her current research within the program focuses on comparing the behavioral effects of several pharmacotherapies used in opioid addiction (methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone). More recently, Dr. Withey has also undertaken research with Dr. Bertha Madras investigating the effects of THC, the primary psychoactive component of marijuana, on behavioral phenotypes and molecular signaling markers.