PROJECT SUMMARY – Core C Pilot Core C will oversee the execution and development of pilot projects that bring new technologies and new investigators into the Center for Cocaine and Opioid Addiction (COCA). MUSC neuroscience has undergone dramatic growth within the last 5 years that has expanded the pool of young, talented investigators in preclinical and clincal arenas. The Pilot Core will provide an opportunity to mentor some of these young investigators into the field of addiction under the supervision of senior COCA investigators. Both preclinical and clinical pilot projects will be solicited by advertisement and competitvely reviewed by the COCA Internal Advisory Board. Once funded, the progress of projects will undergo extensive monitoring by the Core C Directors and the Internal Advisory Board (IAB). The proposed pilot grants will be evaluated and prioritized to promote early stage or early established investigators whose work synergizes with the overall COCA mission. Each pilot awardee will work closely with a senior mentor and report their progress regularly to the IAB. To illustrate the potential of the Pilot Core to assist in the development of young investigators and to promote cutting edge preclinical and clinical research, the proposal outlines four possible pilot projects that, if formally submitted in a call for pilot grants, will be considered in a competitive manner if the COCA is funded.