Victoria Sanchez

Bio

Dr. Victoria Sanchez is a neuroscientist whose research investigates the behavioral and neurobiological factors that influence substance use and relapse, with a particular interest in how exercise during abstinence affects long-term vulnerability to addiction. As a 2014 Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellow at the Perelman School of Medicine, she worked with Dr. Judy Blendy in the Department of Pharmacology to examine molecular and epigenetic mechanisms involved in nicotine-seeking behavior.

Her doctoral research at the University of Virginia, under the mentorship of Dr. Wendy J. Lynch, focused on preclinical models of nicotine addiction and demonstrated how physical activity alters brain pathways associated with relapse. During her time at Penn, Dr. Sanchez expanded this work to include gene expression and transcriptional regulation in reward-related brain regions, contributing to translational addiction research.

Currently, Dr. Sanchez serves as Director of Research and Evaluation at the WVU Institute for Community and Rural Health, where she leads initiatives that evaluate healthcare delivery, access, and training in underserved communities. She also previously served for five years as Director of the Pre-Health Professional Development Office at West Virginia University. In both roles, she has combined her scientific expertise with administrative leadership, supporting rural health research and student success pipelines into healthcare professions. Dr. Sanchez remains committed to improving health outcomes in rural populations through research, evaluation, and applied community engagement.