Cross-Species Multidisciplinary Training in Alcohol Research

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This revised application proposes a new T32 Institutional National Research Service Award with five years of support to fund Cross-Species Multidisciplinary Training in Alcohol Research, comprising four pre-doctoral and two postdoctoral trainees. Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) has a history of excellence in the alcohol and drug abuse fields, ranking 7th nationally in currently active NIAAA awards (n=36). Major existing research or training funding include: 80 NIDA or NIAAA currently funded projects, NIAAA P50 supported VCU Alcohol Research Center (VCU-ARC), 12 individual F-awards to VCU trainees (7 NIAAA, 5 NIDA), NIDA T32- supported training program now in its 46th year of continuous funding, NIMH T32 training program funded for over 20 years, and a recently funded Medical Scientist Training Program T32. A focal point for alcohol research at VCU is the VCU Alcohol Research Center (VCU-ARC), now in its 12th year of NIAAA support with P50 funding renewed in 2020. VCU-ARC pursues an integrated cross-species program of genetic, genomic, behavioral and molecular studies to identify genes, gene networks and genetic variants contributing to risk and mechanisms of alcohol use disorder (AUD). VCU-ARC and the overall excellence in alcohol research at VCU make this a fertile training environment across multiple VCU departments or institutes. These include: the Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics (VIPBG) and the Departments of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Human and Molecular Genetics, Psychology, Psychiatry, Internal Medicine and the Program in Neuroscience. The cross-species academic scope will include a 2 year, monthly Foundations of Alcohol Research lecture series, monthly research seminars in VCU ARC, a trainee-led alcohol research journal club, rigorous departmental-specific core courses and advanced electives, a high level of collaboration among mentors to include reciprocal service on thesis committees, multiple excellent seminar series, and required attendance at national or international alcohol research meetings. Multiple active VCU initiatives will increase diversity of trainees, augment retention of under-represented minority faculty and enhance mentor training. Specific major program strengths include: i) broad cross-species expertise of faculty in behavioral pharmacology, psychiatry, genetics, neuroscience, statistics, neuroimaging, data science and psychology; ii) highly productive research environment with accomplished, well-funded faculty; iii) extensive experience and excellent track record of a diverse faculty in training at this level; iv) access to large, informative datasets collected at VCU; v) instruction in responsible conduct of research utilizing an innovative text from a VCU expert in this field; and vi) a unique atmosphere and strong track record at VCU for support of diversity with multiple funded programs for such efforts. This training program thus offers a broad-based, cross-species training in alcohol research in an environment of research excellence and respect for diversity.