Minding A Mid-America Gap: NIDA/NIAAA Epidemiology Research Training for Clinical Researchers and Clinicians in Currently Under-Served Areas

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When we used NIH Project Reporter mapping tools in late 2018, we were able to see a major mid-America gap in NIDA investments for Epidemiology Branch research in relation to active training programs as well as active research projects. At the same time, the Epidemiology Branch and the NIH in general are fostering new workshops and expanding established workshop programs that are intended to increase the harvest of important epidemiological evidence from existing datasets (e.g., Monitoring the Future) and newly emerging datasets (e.g., ABCD, PATH, ‘All of Us’). The proposed Epidemiology-focused R25 program seeks to address this ‘Mid-America gap’ in epidemiology focused clinical research training and to increase the numbers of epidemiologically adept scientists who can take advantage of these workshops and become more competitive in applications for NIDA F-type, entry K-type, and R-type awards to support their science discovery processes and apply their skills to better address substance abuse problems in mid-America. This application proposes five years of NIDA R25 support for a new ‘Epidemiology in mid-American States’ (EPIMAS) science education initiative with novel NIDA Epidemiology Branch-focused clinical research training plan that blends a core program of ‘Research Experiences’ (RE) with complementary ‘Courses for Skills Development’ (CSD). The EPIMAS program originates with a four-university consortium that was formed to address an imbalanced distribution of NIDA Epidemiology Branch T32 training programs and active R01 research projects in mid-America. The lead partner university in this consortium is Professor Jim Anthony at Michigan State University (MSU), who is joined by West Virginia University (WVU, local site PI: Professor Gordon Smith), Kansas University (KU, local site PI: Professor Richard Yi), and Indiana University (IU, local site PI: Professor David Allison), each of whom brings complementary strengths to the initiative. The specific aims and objectives of the EPIMAS program are: (1) To increase the number of epidemiologically adept scientists who can compete successfully for NIDA Epidemiology Branch funding; (2) To increase the pool of scientists capable of basic and advanced epidemiological analysis approaches in preparation for their participation in NIDA-supported workshops, and (3) To foster development of new NIDA Epidemiology- focused T32 programs at WVU, KU, and IU, and a renovation of the NIDA Drug Dependence Epidemiology Training Program at MSU. The proposed program seeks strength by having the four partner universities working together on this unprecedented NIDA Epidemiology-focused R25 initiative, and on R25 program enhancement of four epidemiology-focused NIDA T32 programs in these under-served states of mid-America.