Dr. Lakshmi Kumar earned her Ph.D. in Social and Health Psychology from Carnegie Mellon University, where, under the mentorship of Dr. Kasey Creswell, she examined the role of socio-cognitive factors—such as empathy, theory of mind, and emotion recognition—in problematic alcohol use. Her research suggests that socio-cognitive deficits, including difficulties in interpreting social cues, may serve as early risk factors for alcohol use disorder (AUD), making individuals more likely to misuse alcohol as a coping tool in social contexts. Dr. Kumar further posits that individuals with lower socio-cognitive abilities might find alcohol’s social effects, like increased empathy and bonding, particularly rewarding, which could increase their risk of excessive drinking and alcohol-related issues.

Currently, Dr. Kumar is a postdoctoral fellow at the Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit, working under Dr. Ryan Vandrey and Dr. Tory Spindle. In this role, she is actively involved in studies examining the human behavioral pharmacology of cannabis and cannabinoids, expanding her expertise in substance use research.