Julie Meade is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. An awardee of the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Predoctoral Fellowship, her dissertation work focuses on the neuroscience and pharmacology of drug use, depression, and chronic pain.A microscopic, hermaphroditic worm that readily eats Jell-O shots might hold the secret in its ancient DNA to what separates a social drinker from an alcoholic. This lecture and PowerPoint presentation will discuss how scientists can use worm genetics to develop new treatments for human alcohol use disorders.