# VAREC Research Core

> **NIH NIH P60** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $206,845

## Abstract

Research Core Abstract
The VAREC Research Core will support the research activities of the VAREC research projects to allow a
greater reach for each component, increase the rigor and reproducibility of the research and facilitate cross-
talk between the research projects. These goals will be accomplished through three aims. The primary goal of
Aim 1 will be to generate and coordinate access to mice that have undergone one of two voluntary alcohol
exposure models in mice. In the first, Chronic Drinking-Forced Abstinence (CDFA), isolate female mice are
allowed ad libitum home cage access to two-bottle choice alcohol for 6 weeks, after which the ethanol bottle is
removed and replaced with water-only to produce a forced abstinence phase. In the second model, Structured
Tracking of Alcohol Reinforcement (STAR), mice are trained to operantly seek and consume ethanol, and
“compulsive” intake is assessed via quinine sensitivity tests. A pre-test, manipulation such as binge alcohol
access, and then a post-test allow for dense sampling of individual mouse behavior in a paradigm well suited
for precision neuroscience approaches. The primary goal of Aim 2 will be to provide key shared research
infrastructure to VAREC researchers, including blood-ethanol measurement, 3-D printing, and histochemical
resources amongst others. Finally in Aim 3, robust computational infrastructure and expertise will be provided
to VAREC researchers to allow computational analysis of neuronal activity in association with AUD-related
behaviors, and quantification of brain imaging data.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10739567
- **Project number:** 1P60AA031124-01
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Cody Siciliano
- **Activity code:** P60 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $206,845
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-03-15 → 2029-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10739567

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10739567, VAREC Research Core (1P60AA031124-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10739567. Licensed CC0.

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