Core 4: Pilot Project Core

项目摘要-试点项目 VCU酒精研究中心的这个试点项目核心的目标是：1）管理进度， 2）征求和评估未来的试点赠款建议， 进一步扩大VCU-ARC的科学广度，3）鼓励试点资助获奖者提交建议， 独立资助和4）支持内部学生和博士后研究员的培训机会 实验室资助的试点项目。比约克博士和爱德华兹博士是激励和内化方面的专家 影响人类酒精使用障碍（AUDs）风险的因素，并将担任以下研究的负责人和共同研究者： 试点项目1，题为"神经认知在酒精使用障碍和合并症的多基因风险中的作用"。 他们提出了一项新的研究，将个体的神经认知表现数据与 严重的AUD，并揭示导致AUD风险的遗传关系。他们的飞行员将与 项目4和5（Dick和Webb）中提出的纵向遗传研究，可能会为核心3中的分析提供信息 （Bacanu）.此外，如果试验项目1取得成功，将为今后的供资提供可靠的初步数据 评估神经认知和遗传对AUD风险的贡献。第二个试点 将由Joel Schlosburg博士进行，他是一位在药物和酒精方面具有专业知识的神经药理学家 使用障碍，并题为"解剖的急性和依赖性反应，乙醇在大鼠缺乏脂肪 酰胺水解酶"。试点项目2将使用新建立的FAAH基因敲除大鼠对远系繁殖 背景以测试FAAH对乙醇敏感性、摄入和偏好的作用。该试点将扩大 了解未来潜在FAAH抑制剂开发对临床试验的影响，至少 三种不同阶段和终点的单独的这种抑制剂。这些研究也可能是第一个 证明NAPE-PLD是否是提供脂肪酸酰胺底物的主要合成酶 FAAH。我们将在第2年征求其他提案，并在第3 - 4年资助其中两个最好的提案，然后征求 在第四年再次提出建议，在第五年资助一个项目。试点计划是VCU-ARC的重要组成部分 这将使我们能够吸引新的和创新的研究人员与中心的研究人员互动，并扩大 高质量的酒精研究

Project Summary – Pilot Projects The goals of this Pilot Project Core of the VCU Alcohol Research Center are to: 1) manage the progress and quality control for our two designated initial pilot projects, 2) solicit and evaluate future pilot grant proposals to further expand the scientific breadth of VCU-ARC, 3) encourage pilot grant awardees to submit proposals for independent funding and 4) support training opportunities for students and postdoctoral fellows within laboratories of funded pilot projects. Drs. Bjork and Edwards are experts in motivational and internalizing factors that influence risk for human alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and will be the Lead and co-investigator of Pilot Project 1, entitled “The role of neurocognition in polygenic risk for alcohol use disorder and comorbidities”. They have proposed a novel study to integrate data on the neurocognitive performance of individuals with severe AUD and uncover the genetic relationships leading to AUD risk. Their pilot will interface with the longitudinal genetic studies proposed in Projects 4 and 5 (Dick and Webb) and may inform analyses in Core 3 (Bacanu). Furthermore, if successful, Pilot Project 1's work will provide solid preliminary data for future funding applications assessing the neurocognitive and genetic contributions to risk for AUD. The second targeted pilot will be conducted by Dr. Joel Schlosburg, an expert neuropharmacologist with expertise in drug and alcohol use disorders, and is entitled "Dissection of the acute and dependent responses to ethanol in rats lacking fatty acid amide hydrolase”. Pilot Project 2 will use a newly established FAAH knockout rat on an outbred background to test the role of FAAH on ethanol sensitivity, intake and preference. This pilot will expand the knowledge of the impact of potential future FAAH inhibitor development for use in clinical trials, with at least three separate such inhibitors in various phases and endpoints. These studies may also be the first to demonstrate whether NAPE-PLD is the primary synthetic enzyme supplying fatty acid amide substrates to FAAH. We will solicit other proposals in year 2 and fund the two best of them in years 3-4, then solicit proposals again in year 4 to fund one in year 5. The pilot program is an important component of the VCU-ARC that will enable us to attract new and innovative researchers to interact with Center investigators and expand high quality alcohol research at VCU.