Neurochemical & Behavioral Correlates of ETOH Effects

说明(申请人提供)：这是一项更新培训补助金的建议，其主要目的是为7名博士后研究员和2名博士后研究员提供津贴，他们将接受广泛和深入的培训，进行酗酒问题的研究。该项目在培训酒精中毒研究方面的博士后和博士后方面有着悠久的历史，以帮助国家努力培养专注于酒精研究的下一代独立科学家。培训机会涵盖各种最先进的方法，包括分子生物学和遗传学、电生理学、细胞成像、神经化学和行为学。研究模型包括动物和人类。该培训计划将促进和支持跨多个系单位和博士项目的协作研究，包括临床心理学、行为神经科学、药理学、神经科学以及细胞和分子生物学。分子生物学培训将包括1)研究细胞表达系统(Mihic，Harris)中兴奋性和抑制性离子通道的功能，2)开发新的转基因动物模型(Harris，Mihic，Piels-Shimomura，Atkinson)，以及3)确定乙醇反应基因(Atkinson，Harris，Mihic，Piells-Shimomura)。遗传学培训将包括对人类和动物受试者(弗罗姆、哈里斯、梅菲尔德)进行基因分型。电生理和显微成像训练将包括在单细胞和脑切片(Morrisett、Mihic、Harris、Atkinson、Piells-Shimomura)中使用全细胞和细胞内方法进行实验。神经化学的培训将集中在1)细胞内和细胞外信号机制，重点是磷酸化(Morrisett，Mayfield)，2)谷氨酸、多巴胺和其他神经递质的释放和运输(Gonzales，Harris)，以及3)蛋白质的表达(Harris，Mayfield，Morrisett)。对酒精的行为影响的研究将包括它对运动技能、强化、焦虑和戒断的影响(哈里斯，冈萨雷斯)。还将进行酒精研究的心理社会方面的培训(Fromme)以及人类饮酒的基因型和影响的相互作用(Fromme，Harris)。培训计划将继续强调专业发展，包括提高口头和书面沟通技能。博士前学生将被要求完成一系列核心课程要求、科学伦理学、实验设计和统计分析，以及撰写论文，并将最终获得博士学位。博士后培训为期三年，由一名教师导师指导，重点是酒精研究。我们将继续以少数族裔招聘为重点。培训学院有着良好的合作历史，主要专注于酒精研究。研究实验室配备了最新的神经化学和行为测试仪器。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This is a proposal for the renewal of a training grant, the primary purpose of which is to provide stipends for seven predoctoral and two postdoctoral fellows who will be broadly and intensively trained to conduct research on alcoholism. This program has a long history of training predoctoral and postdoctoral students in alcoholism research to help the national effort of producing the next generation of independent scientists with a focus on alcohol research. Training opportunities span the breadth of state-of-the-art approaches including molecular biology and genetics, electrophysiology, cellular imaging, neurochemistry, and behavior. Research models include both animal and human. The training program will promote and support collaborative research across multiple departmental units and Ph.D. programs including Clinical Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Neuroscience, and Cellular and Molecular Biology. Molecular biology training will encompass 1) studies of the function of excitatory and inhibitory ion channels in cellular expression systems (Mihic, Harris), and 2) development of new transgenic animal models (Harris, Mihic, Pierce-Shimomura, Atkinson), and 3) identification of ethanol responsive genes (Atkinson, Harris, Mihic, Pierce-Shimomura). Genetics training will involve genotyping of human and animal subjects (Fromme, Harris, Mayfield). Electrophysiological and microscopic imaging training will comprise experiments with whole cell and intracellular methods in single cells and in brain slices (Morrisett, Mihic, Harris, Atkinson, Pierce-Shimomura). Training in neurochemistry will focus on 1) intracellular and extracellular signaling mechanisms with an emphasis on phosphorylation (Morrisett, Mayfield), 2) release and transport of glutamate, dopamine, and other neurotransmitters (Gonzales, Harris), and 3) expression of proteins (Harris, Mayfield, Morrisett). Research on the behavioral effects of ethanol will include its influence on motor skills, reinforcement, anxiety, and withdrawal (Harris, Gonzales). Training in psychosocial aspects of alcohol research (Fromme) and the interaction of genotype and effects of alcohol drinking in humans (Fromme, Harris) will also be done. The training program will continue to emphasize professional development including improvement of oral and written communication skills. Predoctoral students will be required to complete a series of core course requirements, scientific ethics, experimental design, and statistical analysis, and grant writing, and will end up with a Ph.D. degree. Postdoctoral training will be for three years and consist of focused alcohol research guided by a faculty mentor. We will continue to focus on minority recruitment. The training faculty has an excellent history of collaboration with a primary focus on alcohol research. The research laboratories are well equipped with the latest instrumentation for neurochemical and behavioral testing.