Old Westbury Neuroscience Research Institute MIDARP

描述（由申请人提供）： 在旧韦斯特伯里神经科学研究所（OWNRI）拟议的持续少数民族机构药物滥用研究发展计划（MIDARP）的目标是（1）在药物滥用领域进行研究，（2）通过提供最先进的研究经验和相关活动，增加神经科学神经免疫学和药物滥用领域的少数民族代表性和教师发展，例如，研讨会、讲座等，新的教师和学生，和（3）通过学术出版物，演讲和研讨会传播研究结果。学院在老韦斯特伯里是非常适合执行这一使命，因为它的教师正在开发药物滥用的专业知识，他们的同行评审的出版物所证明。此外，在其前一个资助期间，旧韦斯特伯里MIDARP发现了一种新的阿片受体亚型，命名为mu 3，这是阿片生物碱选择性和阿片肽不敏感。该计划有一个多民族的教师和少数民族学生的比例很高，选择科学作为一个主要与药物滥用的利益。该学院对与国家药物滥用研究所优先事项相关的分子和细胞神经免疫学有特殊兴趣，例如，内源性吗啡和阿片诱导的免疫下调。拟议的研究计划计划在分子生物学方面发展更大的专业知识。此外，它建议增加一个新的教师与NIDA的利益。作为其基础设施建设活动的一部分，将邀请主要研究机构的科学家就相关主题发表演讲。本科生和研究生将被聘为研究助理。 本建议书中的主要研究项目旨在解决NIDA的两个优先事项：1）确定吗啡生物合成过程，包括识别吗啡前体和酶;和2）确定μ 3阿片受体在各种条件下的信号转导途径、基因和蛋白质表达及其与药物成瘾的关系，并克隆、测序，并研究新mu 4基因的功能。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goals of the proposed continuing Minority Institutions' Drug Abuse Research Development Program (MIDARP) at Old Westbury Neuroscience Research Institute (OWNRI) are (1) to conduct studies in the areas of substance abuse, (2) to increase minority representation and faculty development in the fields of neuroscience neuroimmunology and drug abuse by providing a state-of-the-art research experience and associated activities, e.g., seminars, lectures, etc., to new faculty and students, and (3) to disseminate findings through scholarly publications, presentations and workshops. The College at Old Westbury is ideally suited to carry out this mission since its faculty are developing expertise in substance abuse as demonstrated by their peer-reviewed publications. Furthermore, in its previous period of funding, the Old Westbury MIDARP discovered a novel opiate receptor subtype, designated mu3, that is opiate alkaloid selective and opioid peptide insensitive. The program has a multi-ethnic faculty and a high percentage of minority students that choose science as a major with drug abuse interests. The faculty have special interests in molecular and cellular neuroimmunology related to the National Institute on Drug Abuse priorities, e.g., endogenous morphine and opiate induced immune downregulation. The proposed research program plans to develop greater program expertise in molecular biology. Additionally, it proposes to add a new faculty with NIDA interests. As part of its infrastructure-building activities, scientists from major research organizations will be invited to give lectures on relevant topics. Undergraduate and graduate students will be employed as research assistants. The major research projects incorporated into this proposal are designed to address two of NIDA's priorities: 1) Determining the process of morphine biosynthesis, including the identification of morphine precursors and enzymes; and 2) Determining the signal transduction pathway, gene and protein expression of the mu3 opiate receptor in various conditions and how it is related to drug addiction, and to clone, sequence, and study the function of the new mu4 gene.