Old Westbury Neuroscience Research Institute MIDARP

描述(由申请人提供)： 旧韦斯特伯里神经科学研究所(OWNRI)拟议的少数族裔机构持续药物滥用研究发展计划(MIDARP)的目标是(1)开展药物滥用领域的研究，(2)通过向新教师和学生提供最先进的研究经验和相关活动，如研讨会、讲座等，增加少数群体在神经科学、神经免疫学和药物滥用领域的代表性和教师发展，以及(3)通过学术出版物、演讲和研讨会传播研究结果。老韦斯特伯里学院非常适合执行这项任务，因为它的教职员工正在发展药物滥用方面的专业知识，他们的同行评议出版物证明了这一点。此外，在之前的资助期间，Old Westbury MIDARP发现了一种新的阿片受体亚型，命名为mu3，它是阿片生物碱选择性和阿片肽不敏感的。该项目有多种族的教员，有很高比例的少数族裔学生选择理科作为有药物滥用兴趣的专业。该学院对与国家药物滥用优先事项研究所相关的分子和细胞神经免疫学特别感兴趣，例如，内源性吗啡和阿片类药物诱导的免疫下调。拟议的研究计划计划在分子生物学方面发展更多的计划专业知识。此外，它还提议增加一名对NIDA感兴趣的新教员。作为其基础设施建设活动的一部分，将邀请来自主要研究组织的科学家就相关主题进行演讲。本科生和研究生将被聘为研究助理。 纳入这项建议的主要研究项目旨在解决NIDA的两个优先事项：1)确定吗啡生物合成过程，包括鉴定吗啡前体和酶；2)确定mu3阿片受体在不同条件下的信号转导途径、基因和蛋白表达及其与药物成瘾的关系，以及克隆、测序和研究新的mu4基因的功能。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goals of the proposed continuing Minority Institutions' Drug Abuse Research Development Program (MIDARP) at Old Westbury Neuroscience Research Institute (OWNRI) are (1) to conduct studies in the areas of substance abuse, (2) to increase minority representation and faculty development in the fields of neuroscience neuroimmunology and drug abuse by providing a state-of-the-art research experience and associated activities, e.g., seminars, lectures, etc., to new faculty and students, and (3) to disseminate findings through scholarly publications, presentations and workshops. The College at Old Westbury is ideally suited to carry out this mission since its faculty are developing expertise in substance abuse as demonstrated by their peer-reviewed publications. Furthermore, in its previous period of funding, the Old Westbury MIDARP discovered a novel opiate receptor subtype, designated mu3, that is opiate alkaloid selective and opioid peptide insensitive. The program has a multi-ethnic faculty and a high percentage of minority students that choose science as a major with drug abuse interests. The faculty have special interests in molecular and cellular neuroimmunology related to the National Institute on Drug Abuse priorities, e.g., endogenous morphine and opiate induced immune downregulation. The proposed research program plans to develop greater program expertise in molecular biology. Additionally, it proposes to add a new faculty with NIDA interests. As part of its infrastructure-building activities, scientists from major research organizations will be invited to give lectures on relevant topics. Undergraduate and graduate students will be employed as research assistants. The major research projects incorporated into this proposal are designed to address two of NIDA's priorities: 1) Determining the process of morphine biosynthesis, including the identification of morphine precursors and enzymes; and 2) Determining the signal transduction pathway, gene and protein expression of the mu3 opiate receptor in various conditions and how it is related to drug addiction, and to clone, sequence, and study the function of the new mu4 gene.