Tobacco Use Treatment Research for Vulnerable Populations

项目总结/摘要 这项中期职业研究者奖（K24）的申请将提高候选人亚当博士的能力。 Leventhal，经营一个富有成效的指导和科学计划，致力于烟草使用治疗患者 针对弱势人群的研究（POR），包括患有行为健康共病的个体 和其他弱势群体。Leventhal博士将从事自己的培训和职业发展活动 这将提高他的科学技能和能力，通过完成课程，参加研讨会， 与一群杰出的临床科学家专家合作者互动。计划活动将优化 成功地实现了他的培训目标，增加了烟草使用治疗领域的知识和技能-结果： (1)临床试验方案设计和实施（即，招募、保留、跟踪、治疗和评估 寻求治疗的患者），重点是弱势人群，（2）高级数据分析，（3）临床 试验设计方法;（4）指导。拟议的研究项目将定位莱文塔尔博士和 他的学员利用现有的优势，以病人为导向的研究烟草的机制 使用并将该研究计划转化为临床治疗结果试验，其形式为：（目标1）新的试点 临床试验测试高剂量安非他酮吸烟者与快感缺乏相关的精神病理学，（目的2）一个新的 正在进行的伐尼克兰+纳洛酮联合戒烟试验的现有数据分析 重度饮酒吸烟者的治疗，以及（目标3）完成并提交其他资助的POR赠款。的 计划，以提高博士莱文塔尔的辅导能力将涉及专门的时间和资源，招聘和 培训初级教师，博士后，住院医师，研究生和本科生在健康 行为研究，临床心理学，精神病学，医学，社会工作和其他领域谁愿意进行 以病人为导向的烟草使用研究。他将提供临床转化研究领域的培训 方法，数据分析，数据解释，手稿准备，授权，研究伦理，以及 专业发展。指导将通过Leventhal博士活跃的研究实验室进行，其中包括 4名初级教师，每个人都有自己的外部研究资金，每周举办个人和小组会议- 与学员，期刊俱乐部，和一个外部演讲者系列。一个新的大学范围内的多学校倡议 在南加州大学建立一个由莱文塔尔博士领导的成瘾科学合作研究所， 与学员互动的机会，形成了各种各样的临床科学学科在许多部门， 项目和方案。通过执行职业中期（K24）奖励中的拟议活动，Leventhal博士将 最佳定位，以培养新一代的人才，以病人为导向的研究人员从事高， 影响转化治疗研究计划，减少烟草负担的弱势群体。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT This application for a Mid-Career Investigator Award (K24) will advance the capacity of the candidate, Dr. Adam Leventhal, to operate a productive program of mentoring and science dedicated to tobacco use treatment patient oriented research (POR) with vulnerable populations, including individuals with behavioral health comorbidities and other disadvantaged groups. Dr. Leventhal will engage in his own training and career development activities that will improve his scientific skills and ability to mentor by completing coursework, attending workshops, and interacting with an outstanding group of expert clinical scientist collaborators. Planned activities will optimize success in his training goals of increasing knowledge and skills in the areas of tobacco use treatment-outcome: (1) clinical trial protocol design and implementation (i.e., recruiting, retaining, following, treating, and assessing treatment-seeking patients) with an emphasis on vulnerable populations, (2) advanced data analysis, (3) clinical trial design methodologies, and (4) mentoring. The proposed research projects will position Dr. Leventhal and his trainees to leverage existing strengths in patient-oriented research on the mechanisms underlying tobacco use and translate this research program to clinical treatment outcome trials in the form of: (Aim 1) A new pilot clinical trial testing high-dose bupropion for smokers with anhedonia-related psychopathology, (Aim 2) A new analysis of existing data from an ongoing smoking cessation trial testing varenicline + naltrexone combination therapy in heavy drinking smokers, and (Aim 3) Completion and submission of other funded POR grants. The plan to advance Dr. Leventhal’s mentoring capacity will involve dedicated time and resources for recruiting and training junior faculty, post-docs, medical residents, graduate students, and undergraduate students in health behavior studies, clinical psychology, psychiatry, medicine, social work, and other fields who wish to conduct patient-oriented tobacco use research. He will provide training in the areas of clinical translational research methods, data analysis, data interpretation, manuscript preparation, grantsmanship, research ethics, and pro- fessional development. Mentoring will occur through Dr. Leventhal’s active research laboratory, which includes 4 junior faculty who each have their own external research funding, and hosts weekly individual and group meet- ings with mentees, a journal club, and an external speaker series. A new university-wide multi-school initiative to develop a collaborative Institute for Addiction Science at USC led by Dr. Leventhal will provide him additional opportunities to interact with trainees form a wide variety of clinical science disciplines across numerous depart- ments and programs. By executing the proposed activities in this Mid-Career (K24) award, Dr. Leventhal will be optimally-positioned to develop a new talented generation of patient-oriented researchers engaged in a high- impact translational treatment research program that reduces the tobacco burden in vulnerable populations.