Basic Neuroscience Training Grant at Columbia University

描述（由申请人提供）： 拟议的培训补助金旨在每年支持8名博士后科学家参加一个致力于基础神经科学研究的多部门培训计划。该计划的具体重点是阐明与滥用药物有关的基本神经机制。来自基础和临床部门的21名教师将担任导师。虽然哥伦比亚大学有一个培训补助金，为药物滥用的临床研究提供支持，但从来没有药物滥用基础研究的培训计划。我们认为，该机构现在提供了一个强大的，在某些方面是独特的，环境提供了一个深入的重点在这一领域，沿着一个强大的小组，证明调查人员提供一流的指导和培训，以初级调查人员的记录。该提案的第一组，药物奖励途径的基础分子机制，包括14名教师谁在奖励途径中的基本分子步骤，包括乙酰胆碱，多巴胺和5-羟色胺受体，多巴胺摄取转运蛋白，电路，发展和精神兴奋剂药物的作用机制。第2组，对滥用药物的病态和神经毒性反应，包括7个致力于神经变性机制的教师，这些机制是对滥用药物的长期适应不良和神经毒性神经反应的基础，特别是在多巴胺能和多巴胺能系统中。博士后候选人将通过广告招募，并将参加现有的专题讨论会，研讨会和期刊俱乐部，以及每周一次的药物滥用研讨会系列，其中一些将与临床研究培训计划的学员联合举行。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The proposed training grant is designed to support eight postdoctoral scientists per year in a multidepartmental training program devoted to basic neuroscience research. The specific focus of the program is to elucidate basic neural mechanisms associated with drugs of abuse. Twenty-one faculty from basic and clinical departments with interest and expertise in this area will act as mentors. While Columbia University has a training grant to provide support for clinical research in drug abuse, there has never been a training program in basic research in drug abuse. We believe that the institution now provides a strong, and in some ways unique, environment to provide an in depth focus in this area, along with a strong group of proven investigators with demonstrable records of providing first-rate guidance and training to junior investigators. Set 1 of the proposal, Molecular mechanisms that underlie drug reward pathways, includes 14 faculty who work on basic molecular steps in the reward pathway, including acetylcholine, dopamine, and serotonin receptors, dopamine uptake transporters, circuitry, development, and the mechanism of action of psychostimulant drugs. Set 2, Morbid and neurotoxic responses to drugs of abuse, includes 7 faculty working on mechanisms of neurodegeneration that underlie long-term maladaptive and neurotoxic neural responses to drugs of abuse, particularly in dopaminergic and serotonergic systems. Postdoctoral candidates will be recruited by advertisement, and will participate in existing symposia, seminars, and journal clubs, and in a weekly drug abuse seminar series, some of which will be held jointly with the trainees in the clinical research training program.