On 27 January, the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) will welcome George Koob as its new permanent head. A neurobiologist at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, for the past 30 years, Koob, 66, made his name both in the study of alcoholism and in addiction to other substances. His work has long been funded by both NIAAA and NIDA. Elie Dolgin spoke with Koob about what he thinks sets alcohol research apart.