Neuropsychopharmacology Training for Drug Abuse Research

描述（由申请人提供）：NIDA药物滥用研究培训计划在芝加哥大学的总体目标是提供前和博士后学员全面的教育和研究经验，使他们能够追求杰出的研究事业在影响药物滥用的领域。药物滥用对个人和社会的健康和福祉构成严重威胁。精神状况、身体健康、社会功能和经济生产力受到损害。这些因素可能导致犯罪和暴力增加。由于NIDA赞助的研究项目，在过去的二十年里取得了相当大的进展。然而，从分子到社会领域，还有更多的东西需要了解，特别是如果知识要转化为有效的治疗方法。芝加哥大学药物滥用领域的现有方案旨在获得与药物滥用有关的社会，行为，神经药理学，分子和遗传因素的知识。其目的是提高我们对药物滥用病因的认识和我们干预治疗和预防药物滥用的能力。该计划的具体优势涉及药物滥用的神经药理学，精神药理学，电生理学，遗传学和分子生物学以及药物对人类的行为和主观影响。有几个因素使提交此申请的教师处于有利地位，可以继续提供出色的培训计划。这些因素包括对药物滥用问题的当前兴趣和正在进行的研究的力量，个别教师采用的方法的多样性，有足够数量的富有创造力的科学家在多学科环境中研究药物滥用相关问题，课程涉及药物滥用的广泛方面，从药物作用的分子基础到对伦理和社会问题的考虑，与吸毒有关的问题。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The overall objective of the NIDA Training Program in Drug Abuse Research at The University of Chicago is to provide both pre- and postdoctoral trainees with comprehensive educational and research experiences that will enable them to pursue distinguished research careers in areas impacting drug abuse. Drug abuse poses a serious threat to the health and well being of both individuals and society. Mental status, physical health, social function and economic productivity are compromised. Such factors can lead to an increase in crime and violence. To the credit of NIDA-sponsored research programs, considerable gains have been made over the last two decades. However, much more remains to be learned from the molecular to the social realm, especially if knowledge is to be translated into effective treatment. Existing programs in the area of drug abuse at The University of Chicago are designed to acquire knowledge about the social, behavioral, neuropharmacological, molecular and genetic factors relevant to the abuse of drugs. The aim is to increase our understanding of the etiology of and our ability to intervene in the treatment and prevention of drug abuse. Specific strengths of this program relate to the neuropharmacology, psychopharmacology, electrophysiology, genetics and molecular biology of drug abuse as well as the behavioral and subjective effects of drugs in humans. Several factors place the faculty submitting this application in an excellent position to continue to offer an outstanding training program. These factors include the strength of current interests and ongoing research into the problems of drug abuse, the diversity of approaches employed by individual faculty, the presence of a critical mass of creative scientists working on drug abuse related problems in a multidisciplinary setting as well as a curriculum that addresses the broad aspects of drug abuse ranging from the molecular bases of drug action to the consideration of ethical and social issues related to drug taking.