The objective of the Basic Science Training Program in Drug Abuse (DA) at UT Southwestern is the training of predoctoral, postdoctoral, and short-term research fellows in a broad range of biological research methods relevant to drug abuse and addiction. The DA Training Program fills a critical need by increasing the number of high-quality basic science researchers in the field of drug abuse, and conversely exposing clinical researchers to basic research in addiction. There are numerous strengths of this historically successful Training Program. The DA Training Faculty Members have exemplary research and funding records in addiction neurobiology and related biomedical fields of study. The breadth and depth of our potential trainees is also highly notable, as is the explosive interest specifically in neuroscience research at UT Southwestern, an institution traditionally known for world-class molecular and cellular biology. UT Southwestern itself provides an outstanding environment in which to conduct basic, interdisciplinary, and frequently cutting-edge biomedical research. For example, our Training Program provides a platform on which researchers in diverse academic divisions (Psychiatry, Neuroscience, Molecular Biology, Internal Medicine, Development Biology, Pharmacology, Neurology) can work closely together to integrate their findings to achieve a more holistic and clinically relevant understanding of the addicted phenotype. UT Southwestern also offers a preexisting integration of basic science research with nationally recognized clinical programs in addiction research and treatment, thus providing the unique opportunity for preclinical investigators to couple their work directly to clinical trials. A final strength is the demonstrated commitment of our Core DA Training Faculty to encouraging researchers outside the addiction field as well as the next generation of researchers to turn their considerable talents toward the advancement of our knowledge of the addicted brain, thus forging novel avenues for treatment of drug abuse. UT Southwestern has the resources and capabilities to build significantly on the already notable 15-year history of this DA Training Program. Renewal of this Program will play an essential role in ensuring continued exceptional predoctoral, postdoctoral, and short-term research training in addiction neurobiology at our institution. For this competitive renewal, we began with our previous cohesive program of training, and updated it significantly to address foremost the evolving needs of Trainees, but also those of the mentors and program administrators, as described in this application. Throughout these updates, we have been cognizant to maintain the key aspects of the DA Training Program that have thus far been so successful in training fellows in drug abuse research: exceptionally high-quality mentors, cutting-edge research, translational opportunities, and a supportive atmosphere. As such, we expect the DA Training Program will continue to serve as a seed grant that results in increased recruitment of fellows to our laboratories;this opens the door for fellows to apply for individual grants from federal and private sources, which will in turn further enrich our Training Program. Most importantly, the continued success of the DA Training Program will serve to further enhance the profile of addiction research at UT Southwestern, thus drawing even more of the best and brightest scientific minds to the study of addiction.
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