Basic Neuroscience Training Grant at Columbia University

描述（由申请人提供）：哥伦比亚大学神经科学培训补助金的竞争性更新旨在每年支持8名博士后科学家参加多部门培训计划，致力于基础神经科学研究，阐明与滥用药物相关的基本神经机制。来自基础和临床部门的16名教师在这一领域的兴趣和专业知识作为导师。他们的实验室解决了奖励途径中的基本分子步骤，包括乙酰胆碱，多巴胺和5-羟色胺受体，多巴胺摄取转运蛋白，回路，发育和精神兴奋剂药物的作用机制以及源于这些化合物的作用的神经毒性和神经精神病学后果。虽然哥伦比亚大学有一个长期的培训补助金，以提供支持药物滥用的临床研究，这是唯一的培训计划，在药物滥用的基础研究。我们认为，该机构提供了一个强大的，在某些方面独特的，环境，提供了一个深入的重点在这一领域，沿着一个强大的小组，证明调查人员提供一流的指导和培训，以初级调查人员的记录。 公共卫生相关性：该提案的目的是资助哥伦比亚大学医学院16个实验室的博士后科学家，以发展他们的科学专长，并提供新一代的科学家致力于了解药物滥用的生物学原因和后果。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This competing renewal of the Columbia University Neuroscience training grant is designed to support eight postdoctoral scientists per year in a multi-departmental training program devoted to basic neuroscience research that elucidates basic neural mechanisms associated with drugs of abuse. Sixteen faculty from basic and clinical departments with interest and expertise in this area act as mentors. Their laboratories address basic molecular steps in the reward pathway, encompassing acetylcholine, dopamine, and serotonin receptors, dopamine uptake transporters, circuitry, development, and the mechanism of action of psychostimulant drugs as well as neurotoxic and neuropsychiatric consequences that stem from the actions of these compounds. While Columbia University has a long-standing training grant to provide support for clinical research in drug abuse, this is the sole training program in basic research in drug abuse. We believe that the institution provides a strong, and in some ways unique, environment to provide an in depth focus in this area, along with a strong group of proven investigators with demonstrable records of providing first-rate guidance and training to junior investigators. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The purpose of this proposal is to fund postdoctoral scientists in a sixteen laboratories at Columbia University Medical school to develop their scientific expertise and provide the new generation of scientists devoted to understanding the biological cause and consequences of substance abuse.