The Pilot Project program is designed to provide funds to new investigators without current or past researchsupport and to established investigators who propose projects that represent a significant departure fromtheir ongoing research. The goal of the program is to provide investigators with sufficient funds to obtainpilot data on alcohol research projects that can be used to support applications for research grants. Adetailed review process includes internal solicitation for proposals, involvement and advice from appropriateCenter faculty as well as internal and external review to select studies of the highest quality.This Alcohol Research Center includes two Pilot Projects as part of this proposal. The first is from a newUNC Assistant Professor, Dr. Donita Robinson, who will study NAc cell firing patterns during concurrentethanol and water operant responding in rats using multineuron recording techniques. Her project willexplore the effect of chronic ethanol exposure on adaptations of these electrophysiological responses. Thisfits nicely with the other research components exploring ethanol adaptations across the progression toalcoholism. The project will benefit from interactions with center faculty and expand our investigations toelectrophysiology in behaving animals. The second Pilot Project is a translational research project led by Dr.Kirk Wilhelmsen, an Associate Professor of Genetics interested in the identification of genes associated witha low level of alcohol response. His proposal will explore how sequence changes in human CYP2E1 affectgene expression and which gene is responsible for the linkage to the signal related to low alcohol sensitivityon proximal chromosome 10. This project fits nicely with Center emphasis on cellular mechanisms ofalcohol actions across the progression to alcoholism.These Pilot Projects will provide the resources for these investigators to develop preliminary findingsimportant for success in larger research grants and to integrate with our Center research program.In years 2-5, the Center will continue to promote alcohol research across the UNC campus. By bringing innew people and new ideas, the center is constantly renewing itself. The Pilot Project program provides ameans to reach out to large research faculty at UNC and increase interest and awareness regardingalcoholic pathology.
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