TRAINING IN ALCOHOL AND NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE

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DESCRIPTION: This continuation proposal outlines a comprehensive, interdisciplinary program in the neurosciences leading to research, education and training in alcoholic neurodegenerative disease. This training program will continue to be performed under the auspices of the Center for Alcohol Research and the University of Florida Brain Institute within the Health Science Center of the University of Florida. Our training preceptors includes 16 faculty members spanning six Departments in three Colleges within the Health Center. Funding is requested to provide stipends for three predoctoral and three postdoctoral trainees. Our program takes advantage of the history and strength in interdisciplinary neuroscience research at the University of Florida to provide the necessary context, experience and environment conducive to the training of highly-qualified medical research professionals. Research areas in which trainees can participate includes studies of: The deleterious actions of ethanol in developing animals (Heaton, Walker) and humans (Behnke, Eyler); the role of neurotrophic factors in ethanol neurotoxicity (Walker, Heaton, King, MacLennan); the role of excitotoxicity and excitatory amino acids in alcohol degeneration (Anderson, Freund, Vickroy); the role of ethanol in disruption of signal transduction and synaptic plasticity (King, Meyer, Pen's, Papke); the role of dopaminergic and GABAergic receptor interactions in mediating the actions of ethanol and cocaine co-abuse (MacLennan, Pen's) as well as mechanisms for interaction of ethanol with other commonly abused drugs (Meyer, Papke, Vickroy); the role of ion currents and channels in ethanol neurotoxicity (Posner, Walker, King); and ethanol effects of gliogenesis and cytokine expression (Streit). Our training plan also includes an educational component encompassing limited coursework in medical neurosciences, molecular neurobiology, grant writing and scientific ethics, and the neurobiology and neuropharmacology of alcohol and alcoholism. This training program will be integrated with our strong, existing interdisciplinary training centers in the neurobiological sciences, the neurobiology of aging and the University of Florida Brain Institute to provide comprehensive and integrated neuroscience training in neurodegenerative disease.