Building Bridges Between Etiology/Epidemiology and Prevention of Substance Use Escalation: An Innovative Translational Resource Center

University Of Illinois At Chicago, Chicago IL

Investigators

Abstract

The overarching goal of this proposed Translational Resource Center, “Building Bridges Between Etiology/Epidemiology and Prevention of Substance Use Escalation: An Innovative Translational Resource Center,” is to catalyze innovative science to accelerate the translation of epidemiological research to prevention research and interventions designed to prevent escalation of substance use during the young adult years. Young adults aged 18-30 have often been overlooked in prevention efforts, despite being in the developmental age period when substance use peaks and substance use disorders usually emerge. The three most commonly used substances – nicotine, alcohol, and cannabis— escalate most during young adulthood, and nicotine vaping and cannabis use reached historically high levels in 2023. In addition, advances in reducing the escalation of problematic substance use during this age period have often been hindered by inefficient translation between substance use epidemiology/etiology and prevention research. We aim to serve as the translational bridge between epidemiology and prevention researchers by incorporating synergistic principles of community-engaged research, human-centered design, and implementation science to create and foster a collaborative and innovative research milieu that will advance substance use prevention, translational science, and health. We will consider a broad array of influences on substance use to enhance the relevance, informativeness, and impact of research. We will achieve these goals through our specific aims: 1) recruiting, engaging, and sustaining affiliate researchers from a broad range of disciplines to engage in collaborative team science focused on preventing escalation of substance use among young adults; 2) leading a set of interactive “Sandpit” meetings designed to encourage boundary-crossing ideation to delve into identifying predictors, mediators, and moderators of young adult substance use escalation and prevention implications; 3) hosting “datathons” that will focus on analyzing relevant datasets to deliver new insights about the escalation of substance use and its drivers; 4) creating and mentoring teams of affiliate researchers to provide ongoing guidance and resources for collaborative external research proposals; 5) Implementing a mentored Pilot Grant Program to enhance preliminary data leading to NIH grant applications; 6) developing educational resources hosted on a Center website that will serve as a national resource for researchers in the field; 7) disseminating broadly the resources and products of the Center; and 8) evaluating the impact of the Center to yield insights that will contribute to advancing the science of translation. Our ultimate goal will be to deliver innovations that further improve health and well-being and reduce the toll of problematic substance use among young adults.