PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT Drug overdose deaths and substance use disorders (SUDs) constitute a major, high-impact health problem in the USA. Our T32 training grant (T32DA007287) entitled “Neural and Pharmacological Mechanisms of Abused Drugs” works to address the large gap currently seen between SUDs and real-world, efficacious solutions by mentoring the next generation of scientists prepared and committed to the search for answers to solve this rapidly evolving health crisis. Our NIDA Training Program, now in its 25th year at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB), is requesting an administrative bridge supplement for continuing support of our predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows currently working in this area and pursuing their training to become independent and competitive scientists in this field. Under the auspices of the UTMB Center for Addiction Research (CAR), the history of our Training Program demonstrates a wealth of career development successes, extensive collaborative networks, and expertise in cross- disciplinary SUDs research conducted with contemporary technologies. Our 26 faculty mentors/co-mentors have a wealth of training and career development successes, extensive collaborative networks, and expertise in translational SUDs research conducted with modern technologies. These T32 participating faculty are additionally supported by numerous faculty members from our Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) across various departments within UTMB. Our predoctoral and postdoctoral mentees are selected based on their academic achievements and their desire to pursue research aligned with the NIDA mission. Our trainees have generated a total of 140+ publications in the past 10 years (36 during the current funding period with numerous manuscripts in progress). Our predoctoral mentees are producing, on average, six published manuscripts each (two as first-author). Moving forward, our goal is to provide mentees with key transferrable skills accessible through innovative SUDs mechanistic studies, drug discovery projects, prevention, and public health initiatives. Strategies to achieve our goals include providing well-funded, state-of-the-art research opportunities and facilities, effective mentoring and monitoring plans, challenging curricula, supportive interactive programs (e.g., short-term clinical rotations, journal clubs, workgroups, seminars, etc.), and first-rate program activities that develop the professional skills needed for advancement towards an independent career. The culmination of our efforts is the success of our trainees as complete, contemporary scientists equipped with the tools to advance the mechanistic understanding of addiction and move these advances toward new therapeutic approaches to its treatment.