Addiction Training in Discovery, Computation, and Translation to Medicine

SUMMARY/ABSTRACT During the past five years, major breakthroughs have occurred in discovery biologyy, computational “big data” science, and translation to drug discovery that have not yet impacted the training of preclinical addiction researchers. To address this gap, the present new predoctoral training grant uses a mentor mosaic model of scientific training in the unique transdisciplinary, open culture of Scripps Research to develop a new generation of leaders equipped with the new technical skills and expertise with team science needed to translate targets to treatment. The training program is set in the historically successful addiction research environment at Scripps and combines a core of expert mentors in the neuropsychopharmacology of addiction with pioneering partner mentors in 4 other domains: a) discovery biology, b) computational and medicinal chemistry, c) advanced data science and artificial intelligence, and d) translational medical science for drug discovery. An experienced Project Director will be supported by impactful co-Directors in Biology and Chemistry, educational leaders from the graduate school and other campus training grants, and a distinguished External Advisory Board of scientific and mentoring experts dedicated to diversity. The mosaic scientific mentoring is supported by synergy with addiction and translational training grants at Scripps for more senior career stages, new translational curricula in advanced data science at Scripps and UC-San Diego, distinguished seminar series in each key discipline, reverse mentoring through SANDI summer internships, peer-to-peer mentoring for career development, and both didactic and experiential opportunities to enhance leadership, writing and grantspersonship, oral communication, ethical science, and rigor and reproducibility. A recruitment plan is detailed to attract diverse young scientists to apply to work with the 30 experienced, well-funded mentors at all career stages. The training plan has the potential to yield a new type of addiction researcher – skilled in team science and with transdisciplinary fluency not only in neurobiology, but also big data science and leading-edge approaches in discovery biology and chemistry.