# Neural and Pharmacological Mechanisms of Abused Drugs

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON · 2022 · $73,565

## Abstract

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.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10598329
- **Project number:** 3T32DA007287-25S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Kathryn A. Cunningham
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $73,565
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 1994-09-01 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10598329

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10598329, Neural and Pharmacological Mechanisms of Abused Drugs (3T32DA007287-25S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10598329. Licensed CC0.

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