Abstract The International Narcotics Research Conference (INRC) is the world’s foremost organization of scientists dedicated to the study of opioids. Research into narcotics and addiction is moving rapidly with groundbreaking new techniques in neuroscience and in the structural biology of receptors. The INRC meets each year and is the premier meeting for dissemination and coordination of this important and innovative information. At the INRC meeting the most recent research is presented describing advances in the area of endogenous opioids, opioid receptors, opiate drug pharmacology, opiate tolerance, dependence and addiction and cross-talk with other neurotransmitter systems, especially since the opioid system has been recognized as central to addiction to a variety of substances. This basic science is necessary to pave the way for translation into clinical advances in pain and addiction treatment. Particularly now, with an opiate epidemic, it is crucial that we maintain our momentum to understand the biology behind opioid abuse and develop novel treatment agents. In addition, INRC is an essential forum to develop younger, minority and women scientists to enter the opioid research field and carry on the tradition of high-quality cutting-edge science. This application seeks to advance these aims by providing support for five upcoming INRC meetings, 2020-2024. The majority of the funds will be used for financial assistance to allow junior, minority and women scientists to attend and participate in the conference. A smaller portion will help defray the cost of invited plenary and symposium speakers who do not normally conduct drug abuse research, but provide a fresh outlook and/or findings in areas complementary to drug abuse research, and also support a small portion of the administrative costs of running the conference. This multi-year grant will provide for a changing emphasis to highlight specific themes in the basic science of addiction and, by providing continuity, will nurture early career investigators to mature into the future generation of drug abuse researchers and develop them to be leaders in the field.