Drug addiction is now viewed as a brain disease. Understanding the biological basis of substance is needed to develop specific treatment paradigms. The consequences of drug addiction are especially noted in inner city neighborhoods, like the Watts/Willowbrook section of Los Angeles -the catchment area for King/Drew Medical Center. Since addiction is such a complex and devastating illness, a committed public health approach, including education, prevention, treatment and research is needed. Drew University is committed to improvement of the infrastructure needed for substance abuse research, education and treatment. Drew University is well funded for non-substance abuse research and there is a high investigator interest in substance abuse research, yet NIH applications related to drug abuse are deficient. Similar, education on the importance of substance abuse and substance abuse research is lacking on campus. The MIDARP program will provide support to develop the infrastructure needed for substance abuse research at Drew. Thus, the goals of this MIDARP application are to: (1) develop the drug abuse research at Drew; (2) provide research development support and experiences to faculty and staff to facilitate independent drug abuse research careers, (3) foster interest in drug abuse research for students and residents and provide them research experiences, and 4) provide for continued drug abuse research funded by NIDA or other agencies. We will specifically encourage the development of minority faculty and students. The theme of the training and education program will be """"""""Addiction is a brain disease and it matters"""""""" and will incorporate expertise at Drew in both the basic and clinical aspects of substance abuse. The goals of the two research projects are to understand the mechanisms of opiate addiction at the basic science level and to understand the mechanisms of how the endogenous opioid system plays a functional role in the reinforcing and addictive properties of cocaine.
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