The University of Washington Center of Excellence in Opioid Addiction Research would establish a pilot project program designed to support 2 new projects per year. Proposed pilot projects will be solicited annually from the NIDA P30 Investigators. These proposals would be ranked by the External Advisory Committee based on a simple set of criteria: Priority will be given to proposals that 1) address an aspect of opioid use disorder, 2) support young investigators, 3) utilize the Imaging and Molecular Genetics resources, and 4) emphasize innovation/high risk. Low priority will be given to proposals that supplement existing funding. We expect that some of the pilot project proposals will come from trainees supported by our NIDA-T32 DA 007278. Providing research support to fellows already having stipend support from the T32 or an individual NRSA award will leverage the Pilot Project funds and strengthen our training program. Based on these criteria, the top 2 projects will be selected and the applicants will be asked to expand their outlines to a 5-page description that includes specific aims, research plan and deliverables. These proposals will again be reviewed by the members of the External Advisory Committee who will provide constructive input. Once these suggestions are incorporated, the 2 proposals will be forwarded to NIDA Program for additional consideration prior to funding. Based on these criteria, two proposals have been selected in this initial submission. Pilot Project 1 describes studies proposed by Mr. Tim O'Neal, a graduate student working in Dr. Susan Ferguson's lab (Mr. O'Neal has stipend support from a NIDA F31 NRSA). This project would use in vivo calcium imaging to analyze responses and excitability changes in PFC neurons during heroin self-administration. Pilot Project 2 describes studies proposed by Dr. Antony Abraham, a postdoctoral fellow working in Dr. Charles Chavkin's lab. (Dr. Abraham has been supported by the UW's NIDA T32). His project would evaluate novel activity sensors designed to characterize kappa opioid receptor activation in PFC neurons during morphine-withdrawal induced dynorphin release. Stress-induced dynorphin release has been shown to promote a dysphoric response that triggers craving and relapse, but the mechanisms and sites of action have not yet been characterized. Future Pilot Projects will be initiated annually after review.
