UF Substance Abuse Training Center in Public Health

University Of Florida, Gainesville FL

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Drs. Cottler and Latimer propose a resubmission for a new NIDA T32 at the University of Florida (UF) combining over 40 years of mentoring leadership with an array of innovative new partnerships at UF. Both NIDA Training Directors at their former institutions (Washington University and Johns Hopkins University), the PIs are teaming up to offer graduate and post-graduate addiction training in their respective departments, Epidemiology (Cottler) and Clinical and Health Psychology (Latimer) both in the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions. The justification for a new NIDA training program for 4 Pre Docs and 2 Post Docs each year is: a) increased health disparities related to the harmful consequences of drug use; b) a significant shortage of scientists in the drug abuse field; c) our strong academic and research environment at UF which is ripe for producing public health oriented scientists and clinicians; d) the underrepresentation of NIDA and other NIH T32 training programs in the Southeast region of the US; e) a strong and enthusiastic group of mentors who have an excellent track record to train nationally and internationally prominent substance abuse researchers; and f) the commitment of the State and UF's President to be a top ten public university, which brings additional resources for research. The core innovative aspect of this new public health oriented T32 is the focus on the epidemiology and prevention of substance use and its consequences and co-morbidities, with a focus on social determinants of health and health inequalities, and the development of behavioral interventions to reduce substance use and its harmful consequences. The training program is crafted with a clear application to practice and public health both domestically and internationally, given the PIs' and mentors' focus. While UF is an excellent training environment, there are few NIH T32s. Thus, the proposed T32 will: i. train talented individuals to independently work from the individual leve (behavioral interventions) to the population level (exposure and consequences of addiction) to eliminate health inequalities related to substance use and its consequences; ii. provide trainees with an apprenticeship style education to master skills to critically evaluate data, conduct multiple aspects of addiction research and become successful, and independent investigators who contribute to the field; iii. train individuals to understand, apply and maintain the highest ethical standards in their science and scholarship and be socially responsible investigators.