Growing the Genetics of Addiction Workforce with URM Faculty-Student Research Experiences

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PROJECT SUMMARY The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) will provide a unique research and training experience designed to encourage and assist members of groups that are under-represented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences to pursue or advance research or science-related careers in addiction-related areas. The long-term goal is to increase the diversity of next-generation scientists that can use cutting edge genetics and genomics techniques to study addiction. To achieve this goal, trainee recruitment efforts will target institutions serving significant underrepresented minority (URM) populations and faculty who themselves are URM. This training program consist of two components. To begin, participants will first complete a customized, virtual mentored course designed to deliver foundational skills and knowledge in mammalian and systems genetics of addiction. The virtual course will combine newly-derived content combined with material derived from several of JAX's signature courses including the McKusick Human and Mammalian Genetics Short Course, and the Short Course on the Genetics of Addiction, and from established JAX online educational modules including The Basics of Mouse Genetics, and Complex Traits. Then, a subset of course participants will be invited to return to JAX with 2 trainees (post-doctoral, graduate or undergraduate) for an extended summer research experience mentored by hosting JAX faculty. Faculty-trainee teams will be hosted at JAX by program mentors, where they will make use of JAXs advanced research resources to learn techniques needed to augment their research into addiction related phenomena through the incorporation of mammalian genetics and genomics. They will return to their home institutions with knowledge, skills, data and resources to support follow-on research, presentations, publications and grant applications. This model will foster the career development of URM faculty as well as both the participating young scientist-trainees and the future trainees of the URM faculty member. The program is designed to achieve the following Specific Aims: 1) Provide foundational education in mammalian genetics and systems genetics of addiction through virtual, mentored instruction. 2) Engage diverse faculty and student teams in summer mentored research projects utilizing advanced methods and resources for addiction genetics. 3) Recruit individuals from underrepresented minority groups to participate in the virtual course, mentored research experiences, and career development skills training. Impact: Successful completion of these aims will result in an expanded number of addiction researchers from URM groups who are actively working with model organism genetics and genomics to understand and characterize mechanisms of addiction related behavior. Educational materials will be made broadly available, and a select group of investigators will advance to develop specific genetic and genomic research programs with support in the use of emerging technologies in these fields. The effectiveness of this novel program will be evaluated and if successful, may be used as a model for expanded deployment in other research fields or institutions.