Faculty

Mary M Torregrossa, PhD

Associate Professor of Psychiatry

Contact Details

450 Technology Drive
Pittsburgh
 
PA
 
15219
Phone 412-624-5723
Email
Website
Torregrossa Lab
CARRS Center
Assistant
Michele Nace
nacem@upmc.edu

Education & Training

PhD
Neuroscience, University of Michigan
Neuroscience, Yale University
Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina

Professional Affiliations

Member, Society for Neuroscience
Associate Member, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology
Member, Research Society on Alcoholism
Member, College On Problems of Drug Dependence

Selected Honors & Awards

Hamilton Family Award for Basic Neuroscience Research in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Research Interests

Addiction; Learning and memory processes; Adolescent drug exposure long term effects
Selected Research Publications & Products
  1. Dynamic, behavior-dependent interactions between dorsal striatal dopamine and glutamate release predict cognitive flexibility and punishment resistant cocaine useDavid M Bortz, Karim Obaidi, Aubrey Deldin, Doug J Weber, Mary M TorregrossabioRxiv 2025.08.11.669720; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.08.11.669720
  2. Bertholomey ML, Forbes C, McElroy BD, Torregrossa MM. Sex specific effects of ketamine, but not other glutamate receptor modulators, on ethanol self-administration and reinstatement of ethanol seeking in rats. Psychopharmacol, 2025, doi: 10.1007/s00213-025-06782-2
  3. Bender BN, Stringfield SJ, Torregrossa MM. Changes in dorsomedial striatum activity mediate expression of goal-directed vs. habit-like cue-induced cocaine seeking. Addiction Neuroscience, 2024, Jun, 11: 100149 doi.org/10.1016/j.addicn.2024.100149
  4. Smith DM, Torregrossa MM. The ventral tegmental area dopamine to basolateral amygdala projection supports acquisition of cocaine self-administration. Neuropharmacol, 2024, Dec 15, 26: 110160 doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.110160
  5. Stringfield SJ, Sanders BE, Suppo JA, Sved AF, Torregrossa MM. Nicotine enhances intravenous self-administration of cannabinoids in adult rats. Nic Tob Res, Apr 6, 2023, 25(5): 1022-1029.

Education Interests

Research mentorship; Graduate student training; Medical student training/supervision

Pitt Psychiatry’s 2025 Research Day, Part I: A Celebration of Science

Research Day Attendees

The 23rd annual Department of Psychiatry Research Day, held on June 12, 2025, was the most highly attended Research Day ever, with 653 faculty members, trainees, and staff gathering at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum on the University of Pittsburgh campus. Lunchtime Roundtables More than 300 individuals participated in or facilitated one of 30 roundtable discussion groups focused on topics including...

University of Pittsburgh Awards Tenure to Mary Torregrossa, PhD

Dr. Mary Torregrossa

We are delighted to announce that Mary Torregrossa, PhD, has received conferral of tenure at the rank of associate professor by the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Torregrossa is a leading scholar in the field of addiction neuroscience. Her research focuses on understanding how motivational, cognitive, and learning and memory systems are altered in substance use disorders. Her goal is to identify interventions that...

Psychiatry Residents Present Robust Research at the 7th Annual Psychiatry Research Pathway Symposium

PRP Residents and Mentors

The Psychiatry Research Pathway (PRP) Symposium provides UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital residents engaged in research the opportunity to present their work to fellow residents, faculty mentors, T32 postdoctoral research program directors, and interested members of our academic community. This year, the PRP Symposium began with a panel discussion focused on interventional psychiatry, moderated by Katherine Lyman...

Pitt Psychiatry's Newest T32 Postdoctoral Training Program: Supportive, Multidisciplinary Addiction Research Training (SMART)

Drs. Colleen McClung and Mary Torregrossa

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has awarded Pitt Psychiatry a T32 postdoctoral training grant focused on substance use disorder research. Led by Colleen McClung, PhD (Professor of Psychiatry and Clinical and Translational Science), and Mary Torregrossa, PhD (Associate Professor of Psychiatry), the goal of the Supportive, Multidisciplinary Addiction Research Training (SMART) T32 program is to provide...

The Department of Psychiatry’s Biggest-Ever Research Day

2023 Pitt Psychiatry Research Day Session

The 21st annual Department of Psychiatry Research Day, held on June 8, 2023 was the biggest Research Day ever, attended by more than 500 faculty members, trainees, and staff, and featuring 160 posters at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh.   Lunchtime roundtables followed the morning poster session. More than 250 participants joined one of 30 roundtable discussion groups...