Training Program in Drug Dependence Epidemiology

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal is for 5 years of renewed institutional T32 NRSA support for the NIH/NIDA Drug Dependence Epidemiology Training Program (DDETP) located within Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Department of Epidemiology. DDETP founder/training program director is Professor James C. (Jim) Anthony, whose NIDA K05 Senior Scientist work between 2003 and 2010 included creation of the MSU DDETP, based upon his model for a successful DDETP at Johns Hopkins University (1990-2003), for which he received three mentoring awards. Also leading the program is Epidemiology Professor Naomi Breslau, and there is an interdisciplinary MSU faculty who represent epidemiology/biostatistics, quantitative methodology generally, clinical sciences/therapeutics, behavioral genetics, preclinical/clinical pharmacology, and allied fields (e.g., sociology, social work, family therapy). The main DDETP goal is to increase the number and quality of quantitatively adept epidemiologists and researchers in allied fields whose career commitment is toward NIDA's mission to prevent and control drug dependence syndromes and related suspected hazards of psychoactive drug use. The proposed 3 NIDA predoctoral trainees first complete 2-3 years of coursework with research apprenticeships, pass qualifying exams to establish candidacy for the PhD, and then complete 2-3 years of research before final defense of a monograph-length dissertation representing significant contributions of new scientific evidence that requires statistical estimation or formal hypothesis-testing in the NIDA epidemiology research context. The proposed 3 postdoctoral trainees at Levels 0, 3, & 7 complete an individualized program of postgraduate research training in drug dependence epidemiology, of 1-3 years duration (mostly 1-2 years), with a greater balance of time in NIDA research. Both types of trainees complete required integrity and ethics training, and work to assemble a portfolio of first-authored and co-authored articles in journals of the field, drafts of their own investigator-initiated NIDA grant award applications, and K-type career development plans, when appropriate. The program plan is designed to meet six challenges: (1) enhancing diversity outreach, (2) greater integration with MSU's new NIH clinical translational research and training initiatives, including HIV/AIDS research, (3) new educational modules on project management and on non-academic career paths toward health science and federal agency administration, small business and industry research (e.g., NIDA SBIR & STTR), (4) use of NIH and NIDA online career tracking programs, as well as online surveys to assess the mentoring process, (5) forging new solutions to a recently appreciated 'drift away' process that now detracts from post-program success in a competitive research funding environment, and (6) cultivation of a new generation of the program's Primary Advising Faculty (PAF) members in order to promote the success of the program during the proposed renewal award period and beyond.