# Clinical neuroscience of alcoholism: integrating neuroscience and clinical trials

> **NIH NIH K24** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2020 · $183,940

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
This application for a Mid-Career Investigator Award (K24) will provide Dr. Ray with the opportunity to continue
her career development, mentorship of clinical investigators, and research in medications development for
alcoholism. Consistent with the goal of supporting Dr. Ray’s career trajectory in AUD treatment development,
the research aims are comprised of projects that will allow her to extend the impact of her research program in
the areas of (a) neuroscience, (b) clinical trials, and (c) advanced quantitative methods. The ultimate research
goal of the proposal is to integrate basic neuroscience and clinical trials methods to medications development
for AUD. The mentoring plan will focus on continued training of undergraduate students, graduate students in
clinical psychology, psychiatric residents, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty to conduct patient-oriented
alcohol research. Dr. Ray will provide training in areas of clinical research methods, data analysis, data
interpretation, manuscript preparation, grantsmanship, research ethics, and professional development.
Mentoring occurs through Dr. Ray’s active research laboratory, which includes weekly individual and group
meetings with trainees. Dr. Ray is active in providing lectures and seminars through multiple training programs
at UCLA. In particular, Dr. Ray is committed to mentoring students from underrepresented backgrounds and as
a Latina scientist, is sensitive to the issues of diversity in science. Through active participation in multiple
programs aimed at diversifying the pool of alcohol scientists, Dr. Ray will broaden her impact in this arena. The
training plan consists of coursework and training experiences in areas that are important to her career
development as an investigator and mentor, particularly in the topics of basic neuroscience, clinical trials, and
advanced quantitative methods. An outstanding group of collaborators has agreed to support Dr. Ray in her
training goals. These areas of training and professional development have been selected in synergy with the
research aims and ongoing funded-projects in Dr. Ray’s laboratory with the overarching goal of broadening the
impact of her research program as well as that of her mentees. In summary, the support of the Mid-Career
Investigator Award (K24) will allow Dr. Ray to devote her effort to patient-oriented alcohol research and
research mentoring. She will also develop her own skill set through proposed training in basic neuroscience of
AUD, clinical trials, and advanced quantitative methods while continuing to actively disseminate research
findings along with her mentees through scientific presentations and publications. Through her mentoring, Dr.
Ray is committed to training the new generation of patient-oriented alcohol researchers and will prioritize
efforts to diversify the pool of junior scientists in the field of alcohol research.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9998799
- **Project number:** 5K24AA025704-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** LARA A. RAY
- **Activity code:** K24 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $183,940
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-15 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9998799

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9998799, Clinical neuroscience of alcoholism: integrating neuroscience and clinical trials (5K24AA025704-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9998799. Licensed CC0.

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