University of North Texas 
Our Research
TARC Lab
The Translational Addictions Research Consortium (TARC) primarily focuses on interventions
for alcohol misuse and the use of technology to promote sustainable and affordable
care.
TARC has two main sites, including the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio and
the University of North Texas, with some people scattered across the nation.
Current Studies
SCRAM Validation Testing
Transdermal alcohol monitors are widely used to continuously detect alcohol use, however
little research has directly tested how these devices respond to common environmental
alcohol exposures or physical obstructions encountered in everyday life. This study
examines whether products such as hand sanitizer, mouthwash, and kombucha can produce
measurable alcohol readings even when no alcohol has been consumed.
Participants will also complete a controlled alcohol administration session to compare these environmental exposures to actual drinking. In addition, researchers will evaluate whether placing common household objects between the device and the skin is detected as a device “tamper” event. The findings will help improve understanding of how transdermal alcohol monitoring devices perform under real-world conditions and support ongoing validation of this technology.
Participants will also complete a controlled alcohol administration session to compare these environmental exposures to actual drinking. In addition, researchers will evaluate whether placing common household objects between the device and the skin is detected as a device “tamper” event. The findings will help improve understanding of how transdermal alcohol monitoring devices perform under real-world conditions and support ongoing validation of this technology.
Phosphatidylethanol and Other Ethanol Consumption Markers
People can consume the same amount of alcohol yet produce very different levels
of the alcohol biomarker phosphatidylethanol (PEth). This study examines the biological
factors that may explain why PEth formation and elimination vary across individuals
and whether these factors can improve interpretation of PEth test results.
Participants consume a controlled dose of alcohol in a laboratory setting while blood samples are collected over approximately 6 hours to characterize blood alcohol concentration and PEth synthesis. Participants then complete a 10-day monitored abstinence period during which additional alcohol-free blood samples are collected to evaluate biological and enzyme-related factors involved in PEth formation and elimination. Researchers will also examine whether incorporating these biological variables improves the ability of PEth to predict participants’ naturalistic alcohol use over a 28-day period.
Participants consume a controlled dose of alcohol in a laboratory setting while blood samples are collected over approximately 6 hours to characterize blood alcohol concentration and PEth synthesis. Participants then complete a 10-day monitored abstinence period during which additional alcohol-free blood samples are collected to evaluate biological and enzyme-related factors involved in PEth formation and elimination. Researchers will also examine whether incorporating these biological variables improves the ability of PEth to predict participants’ naturalistic alcohol use over a 28-day period.
Improving Remote Breathalyzer Procedures used by Clinicians and Researchers to Remotely
Monitor Alcohol Use
Although remote breath alcohol monitoring is increasingly used in clinical, research,
and forensic settings, breath samples are not typically collected overnight to allow
for sleep, resulting in monitoring gaps that may extend up to 10 hours. As a result,
alcohol use occurring during these periods may go undetected.
This study evaluates whether combining multiple alcohol monitoring methods can improve alcohol detection in naturalistic settings. Participants complete a 4-week protocol involving four scheduled daily breathalyzer tests while wearing a continuous ankle alcohol monitoring device. Researchers will also examine whether the blood-based alcohol biomarker phosphatidylethanol (PEth) can help confirm abstinence and identify alcohol use that may not be captured through remote breath alcohol monitoring alone.
This study evaluates whether combining multiple alcohol monitoring methods can improve alcohol detection in naturalistic settings. Participants complete a 4-week protocol involving four scheduled daily breathalyzer tests while wearing a continuous ankle alcohol monitoring device. Researchers will also examine whether the blood-based alcohol biomarker phosphatidylethanol (PEth) can help confirm abstinence and identify alcohol use that may not be captured through remote breath alcohol monitoring alone.