Biological Determinants of Alcohol Action in Minorities

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This application continues the Howard University Alcohol Research Center (HUCARC). Under the NIAAA Collaborative Minority Serving Institution Alcohol Research (CMSIAR) Program, over its first 5 years, the Center has contributed immeasurably to the expansion of alcohol research on African Americans. It has become a national resource for research on alcohol, its causes, and treatment. Through a core infrastructure and entensive collaborative arrangements with the Indiana University and University of Connecticut Alcohol Research Centers, HUCARC has been instrumental in developing and strengthening faculty investigators, advanced graduate students, post doctoral students, and professional school students in alcohol research. Under the theme, "Biological Determinants of Alcohol Action in Minority Populations," the continuation of a strong, effective program will be implemented through four distinct, but integrated components: the Administrative Core, the Scientific Research, the Science Education, and the Faculty and Research Career Development. The Administrative Core provides the organizational framework, quality control mechanisms and core research resource facilities. The Scientific Research Component will include five research projects which will focus on new, exploratory and on-going alcohol research from a multidisciplinary approach. These projects will further research on the genetics of alcoholism, the behavioral aspects of alcohol consumption, alcohol and end-organ damage, mechanisms of alcohol addiction, and alcohol nicotine interactions. The Science Education Component is designed to advance alcohol research by disseminating current information, new techniques and methodologies to a broad audience. It proposes a pre-college summer training program for disadvantaged high school students, a biennial alcohol conference, development of web-site information and other computerized information modalities, an intensive collaboration with the Howard University School of Social Work to implement an alcohol curriculum for MSW students, an educational program for physicians, medical students, and other primary care professionals, and a partnership with the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. Community outreach activities will be continued through radio/TV broadcasts, participation in health fairs and other events. The Faculty and Research Career Development Component proposes a two-semester Alcohol Graduate Studies Course, an Alcohol Fellows Program, a grant writing workshop, a unique research collaboration with the NIAAA Intramural Research Division as well as advanced research training with the Indiana ARC. Over the next five years, the proposed activities ensure a comprehensive, effective, rigorous, and integrated program specifically directed to minority populations