Forefronts in Substance Abuse Disorders during Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Pediatrics (FrSADP3)

This proposal “Forefronts in Substance Abuse Disorders during Pregnancy, Postpartum and Pediatrics (FrSADP3)” requests its first renewal within NIDA’s Research Education Program. The primary rationale is that there are too few clinicians and clinical researchers and too few clinical and research programs investigating substance use (SU) and abuse (SA), and especially, substance abuse disorders (SAD) during pregnancy, postpartum, and in pediatrics (P3). Many innovations include optimizing the depth, breadth, and scope of SAD topics of concern during and following pregnancy. Our objectives are to train, mentor, provide meaningful research experiences for and help launch the clinical careers of SAD Clinicians and Clinical Scientists (R25 Clinical Trainees). FrSADP3 includes PI and Program Director Gerald Schatten, PhD, at Pitt and Co-I Aimee McRae-Clark, PharmD, BCPP (Addiction Research Leader), with Theresa Cronan, PhD, at SDSU (Facilitator, Psychologist, and Women’s Health), Calvin Simerly, PhD, at Pitt (Program Coordinator), and Evan Snyder, MD, PhD, at SBP (Addiction Neonatologist). It is overseen by a Scientific Advisory Board. Five Specific Aims: I. Annual FrSADP3 advanced hands-on lab courses, at which we provide conceptual education, expert guided discussions and research training in the methods necessary for studying pregnant women with or at risk for SAD and their neonates, toddlers, and children; relevant animals that self-administer drugs; and the mechanisms of and therapeutic strategies to alleviate the suffering from SADP3, along with research resources available at NIDA and elsewhere. II. Mentored Research into substance use and abuse disorders during pregnancy, postpartum and pediatrics, launched by the participant, together with any FrSADP3 faculty member. III. Encourage trainees’ longer-term Career Planning and gently exploring their self-identified career choices, particularly within the possibilities of them joining NIDA-NIH’s clinical and research workforce. IV. Demystify the changing regulatory oversight requirements in Responsible Conduct for Research (RCR) to ensure full compliance with the NIH’s guidance. V. Unbiased, Quantitative Independent Evaluations to track participants’ careers. This R25’s goals, then, are to provide courses in skills development, mentored addiction research, and ongoing career support resulting in comprehensive, sophisticated training in clinical and translational strategies for addressing the current challenges in addiction during pregnancy, for designing better therapies for the future, and for launching and sustaining successful careers in substance abuse, pregnancy, pediatrics, and related fields. In so doing, FrSADP3 will continue to advance the careers of the most promising clinical scientists and clinicians.