Joni L. Rutter

Joni L. Rutter is a distinguished scientist and geneticist known for her significant contributions to the field of genetics and neuroscience. She currently serves as the Director of Scientific Strategy and Innovation at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Early Life and Education

Rutter was born and raised in the United States. She pursued her undergraduate studies in biology and chemistry before moving on to earn her Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University of Utah.

Career

Rutter began her career as a postdoctoral fellow at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), where she conducted research on the genetic basis of cancer. She then joined the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) as a Program Director, overseeing the Pharmacogenetics Research Network.

In 2007, Rutter joined the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) as the Director of the Division of Neuroscience and Behavior. Here, she led efforts to understand the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to drug addiction.

In 2020, Rutter was appointed as the Director of Scientific Strategy and Innovation at NIDA. In this role, she is responsible for guiding the institute's scientific vision and strategy, fostering innovation, and ensuring the scientific quality of NIDA's research portfolio.

Research and Contributions

Rutter's research has primarily focused on the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to drug addiction. She has made significant contributions to the understanding of the genetic basis of substance use disorders, and her work has helped to identify genetic variants associated with addiction.

Rutter has also been instrumental in the development of the Addiction Genetics and Epigenetics Data Repository (AGEDR), a resource that provides access to genetic and epigenetic data related to substance use disorders.

Awards and Recognition

Rutter's contributions to the field of genetics and neuroscience have earned her numerous awards and recognition. She is a recipient of the NIH Director's Award and the NIDA Director's Award of Merit.