Yale-SCORE Career Enhancement Core

Sex interacts with alcohol in a complex manner and differences exist in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, health-risks and consequences, risk factors of initiation and maintenance, immune response, neurodegeneration, withdrawal neurotoxicity, stress-reactivity, psychiatric co-morbidities, and sociocultural factors. The Career Enhancement Core of the Yale-SCORE will address the dramatic need for interdisciplinary and translational scientists focused on applying a sex focus to the study of alcohol use. Our primary aim is to provide qualified PhD and MD junior faculty with translational team mentorship and salary support to enhance their research career development focused on sex differences and alcohol science. 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. SCORE-Early Investigators will be recruited nationally, with well-developed plans to recruit excellent candidates. Career enhancement activities include: 1) mentored research, leading to K or R award submissions; 2) access to pilot funds supporting research focused on sex differences and alcohol; and 3) a curriculum dedicated to education regarding sex differences and alcohol science. Finally, we will provide 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) creation of a cohort of early career peers who can provide support and share experiences; c) mentors, who are established investigators with broad expertise in translational, alcohol, and SABV science; d) strong integration and synergy with the Yale-SCORE and with other training programs at Yale; and e) a successful track record of previous trainees.