Sex interacts with alcohol in a complex manner and sex-related differences exist in: pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, health-risks and consequences, risk factors for initiation and maintenance of drinking, impact on neuroadaptation (including immune response and executive function deficits), withdrawal neurotoxicity and symptoms, stress reactivity, psychiatric co-morbidities, and socio-cultural factors. The Career Enhancement Core of the Yale-SCORE is responding to the dramatic need for interdisciplinary and translational scientists, focused on applying sex as a biological variables (SABV) to the study of alcohol use. Our primary aim is to provide qualified PhD and MD junior faculty with salary support and translational team mentorship, to enhance their research career development focused on women?s health and alcohol use. Each year we will support SCORE-Early Investigators (meeting the definition of NIH Early Stage Investigator) for 2 years, with 50% of their time protected to engage in career enhancement activities. With significant committed institutional support, we anticipate supporting ~15 SCORE-Early Investigators over the course of the grant. SCORE-Early Investigators will be recruited nationally, with well-developed plans to recruit diverse candidates. Career enhancement activities include: 1) mentored research, leading to K or R award submissions, 2) access to pilot funds supporting research focused on SABV and alcohol, and 3) provide a curriculum dedicated to education regarding SABV and alcohol. Finally, we will provide our SCORE-Early Investigators with professional development and leadership skills necessary for an academic career. Strengths of this Core include: a) an intensive focus on team mentoring and career enhancement, b) a cohort of mentors, who are established investigators with broad expertise in translational, alcohol, and SABV science, c) strong integration and synergy with the Yale-SCORE, and d) a successful track record of previous trainees. The goal of our Career Enhancement Core is to mentor investigators to become the next generation of biomedical and behavioral researchers focused on alcohol and women?s health spanning the T1 to T4 translational spectrum.
The Career Enhancement Core of the Yale-SCORE contributes to public health by responding to the dramatic need for interdisciplinary and translational scientists, focused on applying sex as a biological variable (SABV) to the study of alcohol use. The Career Enhancement program provides: a team of mentors who are leaders in translational, alcohol, and SABV science, salary support for junior faculty, a pilot project program, and a core curriculum that provides foundational knowledge, professional development and leadership training.
