Human Laboratory Studies for Stimulant Addiction

描述(由申请者提供)：此K02重新提交申请寻求对Mehmet Sofuoglu，M.D.，Ph.D.的薪资支持。应聘者拥有药理学博士学位，并在行为药理学方面积累了专业知识，包括对人体内可卡因和尼古丁的静脉注射挑战研究。他目前是耶鲁大学医学院的精神病学副教授。索福格鲁博士建立了一个创新的研究项目，旨在开发治疗可卡因和尼古丁成瘾的新型药物疗法。他在尼古丁和可卡因成瘾方面的工作建立了强大的出版记录、国家认可和独立的资金支持。他的主要研究兴趣是：1)性别和月经周期对兴奋剂成瘾影响的神经生物学机制；2)作为兴奋剂成瘾药物治疗靶点的GABA和肾上腺素能系统。在接下来的5年里，候选人将专注于两个R01项目。第一个项目“GABA药物和烟草成瘾”是一项人体实验室研究，将研究GABA增强药物替加宾对男性和女性吸烟者的吸烟行为、戒烟严重程度和对香烟的渴望的剂量依赖效应。第二个项目“可卡因戒断和药物治疗反应”是一项门诊临床试验，将评估β-和α-肾上腺素能阻滞剂卡维地洛对可卡因成瘾的药物治疗效果。这两个项目与候选人在成瘾障碍药物开发方面的长期研究兴趣是一致的。这位候选人正在寻求K02奖项，以接受进一步的培训并获得其他领域的专业知识，这些领域将进一步扩大他的研究范围，包括性激素和神经类固醇的神经生物学，以及临床试验方法学。为了实现这些培训目标，应聘者提出了一项教育计划，其中包括具有相关专业知识的资深同事的课程作业和指导。这项K02申请将为候选人在可卡因和尼古丁成瘾领域的持续研究提供支持。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This K02 re-submission seeks salary support for Mehmet Sofuoglu, M.D., Ph.D. The candidate has a Ph.D. in pharmacology and has developed expertise in behavioral pharmacology including intravenous challenge studies with cocaine and nicotine in humans. He is currently an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Sofuoglu has built an innovative research program on development of novel pharmacological treatments for cocaine and nicotine addiction. He has established a strong publication record, national recognition, and independent funding for his work in nicotine and cocaine addiction. His main research interests are: 1) neurobiological mechanisms of sex and menstrual cycle effects on stimulant addiction and 2) the GABA and adrenergic system as targets for the pharmacotherapy of stimulant addiction. During the next 5 years, the candidate will focus on two R01 projects. The first project, "GABA Medications and Tobacco Addiction" is a human laboratory study and will examine the dose-dependent effects of GABA enhancing medication tiagabine on smoking behavior, tobacco withdrawal severity, and craving for cigarettes in male and female smokers. The second project "Cocaine Withdrawal and Pharmacotherapy Response" is an outpatient clinical trial and will evaluate the efficacy of a beta- and alpha- adrenergic blocker, carvedilol for pharmacotherapy of cocaine addiction. Both these projects are consistent with the candidate's long-term research interest in medications development for addictive disorders. The candidate is seeking a K02 award to receive further training and gain expertise in other fields that will further expand his research scope including neurobiology of sex hormones and neurosteroids, and clinical trials methodology. To reach these training goals, the candidate proposes an educational program including coursework and mentoring from senior colleagues with relevant expertise. This K02 application will provide support for the candidate's sustained research in areas of cocaine and nicotine addiction.