Neurobiology of Addiction Training Program

Diseases of addiction and related drug overdose deaths remain a major public health problem of the United States. Addressing these challenges and discovering innovative solutions requires a workforce specifically trained for this purpose. This renewal application is requesting the continuation of the ‘Neurobiology of Addiction Training Program’ at Temple University (T32 DA007237) which has served as the cornerstone for interdisciplinary training in the basic science of addiction since 1988. Its successes can be seen by the number of highly trained, productive scientists that have joined the workforce and the dissemination of impactful research findings through their peer-reviewed publications. The Training Program is administered under the auspices of the Center for Substance Abuse Research (CSAR) at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple. CSAR brings together faculty from many disciplines who share a passion for uncovering the neurobiology of addiction, the pharmacology of drugs of abuse, and the intersection of drugs with immune function including HIV. This common goal creates a rich, highly collaborative environment that is ideal for mentoring the next generation of scientists whose research often extends beyond a single laboratory or discipline. Temple’s institutional support for training, research and treatment in the area of substance use disorders has never been higher, as exemplified by the recent investment in the recruitment of additional faculty and the creation of the new Temple Institute for Addiction Research and Medicine. The program’s priorities include fostering training and scientific innovation, establishing collaborations and connections, instilling personal and public accountability in the conduct of science, and supporting a dynamic training environment. Students come from four graduate programs in three colleges across the university: the medical school’s Biomedical Sciences graduate and MD/PhD programs, and the PhD programs in Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Trainees are mentored by 21 faculty who conduct research related to the neurobiological basis of addiction or the intersection of drugs and HIV. Temple’s NIDA Training Program has excelled in recruiting outstanding trainees and boasts a near perfect retention rate. Trainees complete the program with excellent credentials and pursue successful careers in academia, industry, government and other science-related fields, thus fulfilling the NIH’s directive to improve human health. This Training Program is a vital resource for supporting students and postdoctoral fellows and advancing the field of addiction research.