This Administrative Core (U54), ?Mechanisms of Alcohol Pathology? (MAP), is a partnership between the Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute (BBRI) and Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE) institutes at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), a Historically Black College and University, and The University of North Carolina School of Medicine Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies (UNC-BCAS). Collaborative partnerships between these groups initated alcohol research at NCCU during the previous funded period with 3 active laboratories that have produced about a dozen publications, have involved 15-20 NCCU students per year in alcohol research with faculty submitting several NIH grants. This proposal continues to expand alcohol research to 8 active faculty alcohol research laboratories. This proposal includes an Administrative core, Mentoring and Development Core, and five Research Components, two full projects and 3 pilot projects, all with preliminary data and structured collaborative partnerships between NCCU and UNC-BCAS faculty. This U54 Mechanisms of Alcohol Pathology has research projects focused on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, alcoholic liver disease, alcohol induced oral and breast cancers and alcohol-cannabinoid neurotoxicity. Health disparities in African-Americans is related to increased alcohol pathology, and not increased alcohol use disorder. These projects address alcohol health disparities by involving NCCU students in alcohol research that educates them about mechanisms of alcohol pathology associated with health disparities as well as building on the expertise of NCCU faculty. UNC collaborators chosen for appropriate expertise in the scientific area and include senior mentors who provide leadership, experimental design and scientific expertise as well as junior mentors who can help with hands on methods mentoring. Thus, UNC and NCCU this are integrated around the central theme of alcohol-induced pathology promoting molecular and cellular research involving NCCU faculty and students. The objectives of this U54 Administrative Core are: 1) Provide scientific and administrative leadership by advocating with leadership for staff support of research as well as supporting specific staff for alcohol research. By assuring UNC mentors collaborate and meet regularly with NCCU faculty and by organizing seminars, and annual steering committee meeting to review progress with NIAAA staff. NCCU faculty and students will do experiments in UNC laboratories, and gain access to UNC research cores and libraries. Research laboratory experience, access to full text journals and key research core facilities will improve It will also mentor NCCU undergraduate and graduate students training future alcohol researchers. Finally, the U54 Administrative Core will define expectations and metrics for assessment of progress. The MAP Administrative core will provide support that will allow NCCU faculty to develop independent self-supporting research programs at NCCU that will involve many students in AHDRC.
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