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Number 33, November 2010

Regional Meetings Foster Collaborative Research

Drug abuse and HIV/AIDS researchers across the globe are taking advantage of local meetings to bridge the regional gap that often hinders the exchange of research ideas and the development of constructive collaborations. Meetings were held recently in Malaysia, Norway, and Ukraine

The meetings, sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) International Program, offer investigators the opportunity to begin discussions and create linkages to collaborations that impact the movement and direction of research in the region. The meetings also serve to inform scientists about NIDA research funding opportunities and resources available to support new projects. Highlights of the meetings in Malaysia, Norway, and Ukraine include:

  • Penang, Malaysia. Organized and led by Richard S. Schottenfeld, M.D., Yale School of Medicine, the meeting focused on the critical research needs and challenges in the region for two primary issues: epidemiology and treatment research. Participants were separated into workgroups and came away from the meeting with concrete tasks—ranging from identifying funding to the development of new research protocols—to begin to meet the substance abuse challenges in the region.
  • Oslo, Norway. Held in conjunction with the International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety (ICADTS) meeting in September, co-chairs J. Michael Walsh, Ph.D., The Walsh Group, and Steven W. Gust, Ph.D., director, NIDA International Program, brought together experts in the region to discuss drugs and driving. Speakers Alain Verstraete, M.D., Ghent University, Belgium, and Dominique Lopez, European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, Lisbon, Portugal, discussed, in part, the challenges in gaining an accurate view of the problems with drugged driving due to differences in laws across regions and nations. The participants ended the meeting with a number of potential research projects amenable to international collaboration. On a high note, during the ICADTS meeting, Flavio S. Pechansky, M.D., Ph.D., former NIDA Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow and current chair of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence International Committee, was recognized for his poster on drunk and drugged driving on Brazilian highways.
  • Kiev, Ukraine. Organizers Sergii Dvoriak, M.D., Ph.D., Ukrainian Institute on Public Policy and former Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow, and David Metzger, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania/Veterans Administration Medical Center, hosted a meeting on drug treatment and prevention among injection drug users. Invited guests, including drug abuse researchers from Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and other central Asian countries, heard presentations from NIDA and other U.S. research institutions and engaged in discussions about potential collaborative studies on medically assisted treatment for drug dependence and HIV.
Participants from more than 10 regions participated in the collaborative meeting in Kiev, Ukraine, this fall.

Participants from more than 10 regions participated
in the collaborative meeting in Kiev, Ukraine, this fall.

Former Humphrey Fellows Organize Prague Declaration
Drs. Zabransky (left) and Bém at a reception at the mayor's residence.

Drs. Zabransky (left) and Bém at a
reception at the mayor’s residence.

Two former Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows, Pavel Bém, M.D., and Tomas Zabransky, M.D., Ph.D., were organizers of a meeting on urban drug policy in Prague that led to the adoption of the Prague Declaration, a set of seven principles of effective drug policies and a call for greater participation of urban leaders in forming drug policies.

Dr. Bém, mayor of Prague, and Dr. Zabransky, Center for Addictology, Charles University, Prague, brought together policymakers, public health administrators, and researchers for the conference, Urban Drug Policies in the Globalised World, where they discussed recent developments in the field of urban drug policy and related interventions and encouraged participants to sign the declaration.

NIDA Supports Researchers at Hispanic Science International Conference

Sixteen NIDA-supported researchers presented their research earlier this fall in New Orleans, Louisiana, at the National Hispanic Science Network (NHSN) International Conference. This year’s meeting focused on transdisciplinary approaches to current research agendas and the future of addiction research and treatment.

The NHSN conference poster session showcased ongoing research projects to generate discussion about potential collaborations. NIDA–supported scientists from Chile, Mexico, and Spain presented their research at the International Poster Session at the conference, including:

  • Chile: Luis Caris, University of Chile, Facultad de Medicina.
  • Mexico: Marycarmen Bustos, Filiberto Gaytán, Alberto Jimenez, Natania Fróylan Oliva Robles, Vianney Sánchez Pineda, and Jorge Ameth Villatoro Velázquez, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatria Ramon de la Fuente Muñiz; Octavio Campollo, University of Guadalajara; and Miguel Angel Lopez Brambila, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
  • Spain: Francisco Jesus Bueno-Cañigral, Plan Municipal de Drogodependencias; Antonio Jesus Molina-Fernandez, Proyecto Hombre Granada/University of Granada; Francisco José Montero-Bancalero, Aula de Alcoholismo.es/Instituto Bitácora; Claudia Cristina Morales-Manrique, Universidad de Valencia; Anna Robert, Hospital Benito Menni Complex assistencial en Salut Mental; Javier González-Riera, The Comprehensive Tobacco Plan for Andalusia/Jaén Health District; and Francisco Javier Romero, Instituto sobre Drogas y Conductas Adictivas.

Free Online Education for Research Community

Clinicians and substance abuse professionals can access Web sites that provide free online training modules on drug abuse research and Spanish- and English-language training in human research protections.

  • DrugAbuseResearchTraining.org, developed with funding support from the NIDA International Program, is a series of free online training modules that cover biostatistics; evaluating programs; designing and managing clinical trials; and the neurobiology of addiction, the newest course which includes state-of-the-science interactive 3-D animation of brain pathways. Upon registering, you can begin any one of the four modules, track your progress, and receive important updates. The program can also be licensed for organizations or groups.
  • Protecting Human Research Participants Tutorial, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, is now available in Spanish. The online training consists of seven modules, each addressing the principles used to define ethical research using humans and the regulations, policies, and guidance that describe the implementation of those principles. Four of the modules are followed by a quiz.

Shedding Light on Substance Abuse in Sikkim

Drug abuse researchers gathered at a symposium in Sikkim, one of India’s smallest states, to tackle some of the region’s biggest health problems. Linda Cottler, Ph.D., M.P.H., a NIDA grantee, offered her expertise at the symposium in Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, to help begin to shed light on the magnitude of substance abuse in the state.

The symposium was conceived by Tekendra Rai, M.D., a NIDA Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow, who brought together Dr. Cottler, director of the Epidemiology and Prevention Research Group at the Washington University School of Medicine, and others to discuss health research methodologies and substance abuse prevention. The participants exchanged ideas on how best to obtain hard data that could help direct programs and interventions to deal effectively with the rising substance abuse and suicides among the people of Sikkim.

International Conference on Women, Children, and Gender
Internation InWomen's Group logo

Friday, June 17, 2011
12:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m.

Planning is underway for the 2011 InWomen conference, the second annual International Women’s and Children’s Health and Gender Working Group conference held in conjunction with the NIDA International Forum and the CPDD Annual Scientific Meeting.

The 180 registered InWomen members have received a survey asking them to set priorities for the 2011 conference. Virtual meetings are held monthly. Those interested can visit the NIDA International Virtual Collaboratory (NIVC) or contact InWomen Chair Wendee Wechsberg, Ph.D., RTI International, wmw@rti.org.

The first InWomen conference, held last year, attracted participants from 27 countries. The conference featured a plenary address on improving women’s drug treatment outcomes by Dr. Mary E. McCaul, Johns Hopkins University. A panel discussion on international issues facing women in treatment included Dr. Anna Gyarmathy, European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction; Ms. Maayan Schori, Israel; Dr. Bronwyn Myers, South Africa; and Dr. Nancy Poole, Canada. In addition, the 2010 conference participants held nine roundtables where senior researchers and new investigators identified topics for future discussion and work; their reports are available in NIVC InWomen working group folder. At the 2010 conference, registrants also received an annotated bibliography on Key Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Articles Focused on Women’s Issues From Around the World. This document is available to the public at http://nivc.perpich.com/groups/public/resources.

InWomen Chair Wendee Wechsberg, Ph.D., RTI International, introduces a panel at the 2010 InWomen Conference.

InWomen Chair Wendee Wechsberg, Ph.D., RTI International, introduces a panel at the 2010 InWomen Conference.

NIDA Welcomes New Humphrey Fellows

Ms. Dale Weiss, program analyst from the NIDA International Program, and Fellowships Administrator Ms. Lisa Jordre met with the new Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows early in September to introduce them to some of the NIDA resources and opportunities available to them during their fellowships.

The pair met with NIDA Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows in Substance Abuse Education, Treatment, and Prevention at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and NIDA Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows in Drug Abuse and Public Health at Johns Hopkins University (JHU). Ms. Weiss described several NIDA resources, including the NIDA International Virtual Collaboratory (NIVC), a password-protected tool to support geographically distant partners in collaborative research, discussion, and education, and met individually with the fellows to discuss their professional affiliation interests.

The NIDA Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows at VCU include:

  • Dr. Rogerio Alves da Paz, Brazil, wants to learn more about how the United States has dealt with crack epidemics, rehabilitation programs, and drug-related public policies. His fellowship goal is to establish collaborative relationships with treatment programs in the United States.
  • Dr. Dorra Amira, Tunisia, will enhance her knowledge of drug abuse and analytical methods so that she can improve procedures in toxicology laboratories in her country. She also plans to develop greater knowledge about substance abuse prevention and treatment to better address the drug problems of Tunisia.
  • Dr. Omar El Shahawy, Egypt, seeks to enhance his experience in drug abuse policy and prevention, with a particular focus on gender issues in adolescent and marginalized groups. He hopes to use his experience at VCU to enhance his public health competencies in fields related to substance abuse research and prevention, primarily in the area of tobacco use.
  • Dr. Ojo Abayomi Moses, Nigeria, plans to enhance his knowledge and practical skills in the treatment and prevention of substance abuse as well as research on the common drugs of abuse in Nigeria.
  • Ms. Dafina Muqaj, Kosovo, works as a psychologist at a drug prevention and treatment center and wants to expand her knowledge about drug treatment programs and addiction research.
  • Dr. Maia Rusakova, Russian Federation, wants to learn new tools for the prevention of risk behavior among different target groups that could be implemented in the Russian Federation and to develop distant learning programs with the assistance of U.S. experts.
  • Dr. Mário Sérgio Sobrinho, Brazil, plans to learn more about police procedures, judicial drug abuse cases, and the drug courts system and hopes to help the Brazilian judicial system by teaching others who are interested in improving judicial methods regarding drug abuse cases.
  • Ms. Oranooch Sungkhawanna, Thailand, wants to design and implement more effective drug control policies and to expand the use of evidence-based substance abuse treatment and prevention programs in Thailand.

The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows at JHU include:

  • Dr. Ayse Ender Altintoprak, Turkey, a psychiatrist, is interested in substance abuse education and treatment.
  • Dr. Hla Aung, Burma, a physician in family medicine, is interested in drug prevention and treatment.
  • Dr. Roman Gabrhelik, Czech Republic, is interested in translational research, drug treatment, and epidemiology.
  • Dr. Hussein Habeeb Mhawesh, Iraq, focuses on public health policy and management and will gain knowledge that he will use to develop policies, programs, and services toward improving health care in Iraq.
  • Dr. Rubeena Kidwai, Pakistan, is interested in community-based programs in applied positive psychology, and developing and implementing projects to promote psychosocial wellness and psychological resilience in members of impoverished, low-income communities of Pakistan.
  • Ms. Abimbola Onigbanjo, Nigeria, is working to improve health care and systems for Nigerians, and has a special interest in family planning/reproductive health, maternal and child health, and HIV/AIDS.
  • Ms. Bangone Santavasy, Laos, is interested in drugs and reproductive health, business administration, and HIV.
  • Dr. Ashish Sinha, Nepal, is interested in drugs and HIV and will take his knowledge back to the Save the Children program in Nepal.
  • Dr. Ihor Vasianovych, Ukraine, wants to improve the management and evaluation of health care institutions and the accreditations of health care institutions.

Secretary Clinton Addresses Humphrey Fellows at Annual Reception

This year’s more than 200 Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows representing 93 countries, including our NIDA-supported fellows, were honored with a reception at the U.S. Department of State and a surprise visit from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The fellows were in town for the week-long Global Leadership Forum held each year in Washington, DC. Secretary Clinton spoke during the Monday evening reception attended by the fellows, embassy representatives, state department officials, and representatives from partnering agencies. She welcomed the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows as they began “a very worthwhile year of study.”

She offered advice, urging the fellows to take full advantage of the opportunities the fellowship brings, “because we want you then to take what you have learned and put it to use in your own countries. You will meet friends that you never met before, both among the other Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows and here in the United States. And so you will get a chance to exchange ideas and to really test yourself.” Noting the extensive alumni network of Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows, she commented on the “built-in opportunity to have a network experience because of who you are and this extraordinary opportunity.” She ended by reminding the fellows of their own value in this unique opportunity, “We believe in you. We support you. You are here because a lot of people decided that you should be here.” The reception was hosted by Ann Stock, assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs.

USDISCA Supports Collaborations in the United Kingdom

D. Dwayne Simpson, Ph.D., emeritus director of the Institute of Behavioral Research, Texas Christian University (TCU), utilized his U.S. Distinguished International Scientist Award (USDISCA) to continue the collaborative work he began in 2005 to put in place an infrastructure for several regional initiatives and resources to target substance misuse in the United Kingdom (UK).

The USDISCA supported Dr. Simpson’s 3-month visit to England, Scotland, and Wales last fall to focus on structural and systemic implementation issues for clinical innovations. Ed Day, Ph.D., University of Birmingham, was the leading U.K. collaborator for the award and served as a member of the strategic planning team. During his visit, Dr. Simpson hosted a series of 30 regional seminars and group meetings with key decision makers, researchers, and opinion leaders about how to implement innovations for integrated services in substance abuse treatment and recovery. As a basis for discussion, Dr. Simpson used the TCU conceptual models for addiction treatment process and innovation implementation. His work, in part, has culminated in the creation of a center to consolidate and coordinate substance abuse prevention and recovery activities in Britain.

INVEST/CTN Fellow Targets Methamphetamine Use Among Filipino Adolescents

INVEST/Clinical Trials Network (CTN) Fellow Leonardo R. Estacio, Jr., Ph.D., M.P.H., spent his fellowship year focused on behavioral therapies to reduce methamphetamine abuse among adolescent Filipinos.

Working with mentor, Dennis M. Donovan, Ph.D., at the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute, University of Washington, Dr. Estacio was able to hone his research skills and competencies in quantitative research and developed an appreciation for the value of the combination of both quantitative and qualitative methods in conducting research. In addition, Dr. Estacio set goals for the year to improve his grant-writing skills, share and exchange research knowledge, and develop a network for future collaborative research among U.S. and international researchers. He ended the year with clearly established plans for integrating the knowledge and skills he gained during his fellowship year, including revising the grant proposal he began with his mentor, forming a drug abuse research team to spearhead research at his university, training university and community leaders in drug abuse research and prevention, and establishing relationships with other Southeast Asian scientists for collaborations.

Summer Institute Deemed Valuable for NIDA-Supported Attendee

Ana Hilde, M.P.H., received a tuition waiver from the NIDA International Program to attend the Summer Institute on Alcohol, Drugs and Addiction in the Netherlands earlier this year.

The Summer Institute, a joint initiative of ZonMw and the University of Amsterdam Graduate School of Social Sciences, is a 2-week, intensive multidisciplinary program offering graduate-level and continuing professional development training in addiction, while promoting opportunities for international networking.

During the program, Ms. Hilde attended lectures, seminars, and discussions on new developments in research, policy, and practice in the field of drug addiction in the Netherlands. She heard presentations on such topics as drug policy, genetics and the neurobiology of addiction, the social context of drug use, health services research, and novel approaches to decreasing impulsivity and craving, including deep-brain stimulation with chronic heroin users. A highlight of the program for Ms. Hilde was a visit to a methadone program where she had the opportunity to talk with patients and staff about the heroin replacement program. The Summer Institute experience has led to several new opportunities for Ms. Hilde—she has been invited to give two talks on the topic of Dutch drug programs and recently submitted an application for a NIDA research grant on adolescent initiation into prescription drug abuse.

International and U.S. Drug Abuse Researchers Meet, Exchange Ideas

Drug abuse researchers from Brazil, Mexico, and Taiwan presented their research and sought feedback on upcoming clinical trials during the International Collaboration Workshop held at the recent NIDA Clinical Trials Network (CTN) Steering Committee Meeting.

The meeting is a featured breakout session of the 3-day NIDA CTN Steering Committee Meeting. International presenters included Ronaldo Laranjeira, M.D., Federal University of Sao Paulo; Ming-Chyi Huang, M.D., Ph.D., Taipei City Psychiatric Center; and Chun-Hsin Chen, M.D., M.S., Taipei Medical University–Wang Fang Hospital.

Dr. Laranjeira discussed plans to launch a clinical trial to examine the effectiveness of two promising pharmacotherapies, baclofen and modafinil, to combat crack addiction in Brazil. Walter Ling, M.D., NIDA CTN Pacific Node, talked about an upcoming trial (CTN-0048) on cocaine use reduction with buprenorphine, CURB. To date, there are no approved pharmaceutical treatments for cocaine abuse; however, buprenorphine shows promise in limited studies.

Important Dates and Meetings

The NIDA International Program stays abreast of funding opportunities, upcoming deadlines for fellowship and grant applications, and meetings of interest to the international addiction and drug abuse research community.

Funding Opportunities

Upcoming Application Deadlines

Fellowships

Fogarty International Center Program Announcements

Meetings