The Central Virginia Center on Drug Abuse Research

该中心的总体目标是提供分子，遗传，化学和分析知识和专业知识，以创建新的和加强以前资助的药物滥用研究在这个和邻近的大学。这些核心将提供最新的和创新的专业知识，这是有点倾斜的方法在以前资助的研究。这将导致新的合作研究，并以几年前无法设想的方式加强以前资助的研究。在合成和分析化学，遗传学，基因工程改造小鼠/病毒载体和受体功能的核心将提供资助的研究人员扩大他们的工作范围，以非常创造性的方式转化知识的机会。包括化学，遗传学和分析核心将填补我们许多研究项目的主要空白。能够继续为基因改变的小鼠提供适当的基因分型等，以及病毒载体技术方面的专门知识被视为该中心的主要资产。能够有一个合作者阐明受体功能的变化，发现改变行为或对药物的渴望的物质提供了新的和创造性的研究气氛。不同机构的科学家之间的这种合作是罕见的，如果实际上可以建立合作，则需要数月或数年。在这个中心，这种类型的合作将成为常态。我们致力于提供大量的机构支持，例如使用最新的成像中心和大学建立的法医毒理学实验室。我们将与试点项目计划一美元一美元地匹配，并提供超出所要求的适度金额的行政支持。这些核心也将被弗吉尼亚大学和乔治梅森大学的NLDA资助的研究人员使用。汉普顿大学相对较新的药学院的学者们在建立他们的研究项目时对利用这些核心表示了兴趣（院长的信）。我们还将与全国各地的科学家分享该中心的各个方面。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The overall aim of this Center is to provide molecular, genetic, chemical and analytical knowledge and expertise to create new and enhance previously funded drug abuse research at this and neighboring universities. These Cores will provide up-to-date and innovative expertise that is somewhat oblique to the methodologies used in previously funded research. This will result in new collaborative research and enhance previously funded research in ways that could not have been contemplated just a few years ago. Cores in synthetic and analytical chemistry, genetics, genetically engineered altered mice/viral vectors, and receptor function will provide the opportunity for funded researchers to broaden the scope of their work to transform knowledge in very creative ways. The inclusion of chemistry, genetics and analytical Cores will fill a major void in our many research projects. The ability to continue to provide genetically altered mice with appropriate genotyping, etc., and the inclusion of expertise in viral vector technology are seen as major assets of this Center. Being able to have a collaborator elucidate receptor function changes for a substance found to alter behavior or craving for a drug provides the atmosphere for new and creative research. This type of collaboration among scientists at different institutions is rare and would take many months or years if in fact collaboration could be established at all. In this Center this type of collaboratin will be the norm. We are committed to provide considerable institutional support such as the use of an up-to-date imaging center and a forensic toxicology laboratory established by the university. We will match dollar for dollar the pilot project program and provide administrative support beyond the modest amount requested. The Cores will also be utilized by NlDA-funded investigators at the University of Virginia and George Mason University. Scholars at the relatively new Pharmacy School at Hampton University have expressed interest (letter from the dean) in the utilization of these Cores as they establish their research programs. We will also share all aspects of this Center with scientists throughout the country.