Meetings/Conferences

NIDA, NCI and NIAAA, collaborated to hold a meeting entitled Pharmacologic Approaches to Nicotine Addiction on October 9-10, 2002. Participants were drawn from the extramural research community and NIH. The meeting took the form of a workgroup to address issues in the discovery, development and delivery of medications. Several next-steps are underway including further interaction with the research field and funding initiatives.

On November 1, 2002 at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Drs. Christine Colvis and Rita Liu co-chaired a NIDA-sponsored symposium entitled Proteomics & Mass Spectrometry in Neuroscience. The latest in neuroproteomics, peptidomics, imaging mass spectrometry, and protein mass spectrometry, will be presented by: Dr. Richard Caprioli (Vanderbilt University), Dr. Ariel Deutch (Vanderbilt University), Dr. Lloyd Fricker (Albert Einstein College of Medicine), Dr. Seth Grant (University of Edinburgh, UK), Dr. Vivian Hook (Buck Institute for Age Research), and Dr. Amina Woods (NIDA).

On November 1, 2002 at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Drs. Steven Grant and Herbert Weingartner co-chaired a poster session, sponsored by Neuron and NIDA entitled Systems Neurobiology and Drug Abuse. This session featured poster presentations related to the three Friday NIDA symposia on "Proteomics & Mass Spectrometry in Neuroscience," "Mechanisms of Reward: Implications for Addiction," and "Systems Neurobiology of Drug Abuse."

On November 1, 2002 at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Drs. Kenny Blum, Neuron and David Shurtleff, DNBR co-chaired a symposium, sponsored by Neuron and NIDA entitled Mechanisms of Reward: Implications for Addiction. Current research and this symposium focus on how the reward and decision-making processes in our brains work and fail. These mechanisms involve both molecular interactions and sophisticated neural circuitry, and these different perspectives were presented by: Dr. Gregory Berns (Emory University), Dr. Marc Caron (Duke University), Dr. Jonathan Cohen (Princeton University), Dr. Read Montague (Baylor College of Medicine), and Dr. Wolfram Schultz (University of Cambridge, UK).

On November 1, 2002 at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Drs. Francis White, Chicago Medical School, and Rita Liu, OEA, co-chaired a NIDA-sponsored symposium entitled Systems Neurobiology of Drug Abuse. Presentations focused on mechanisms of action of psychomotor stimulants (amphetamine and cocaine), cannabinoids (marijuana), nicotine, alcohol, opiates, and natural rewards (e.g. food, water). The speakers were: Dr. Ann Kelley (University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical School), Dr. Rafael Maldonado (University of Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain), Dr. Marina Picciotto (Yale University), Dr. Toni Shippenberg (NIDA, IRP), Dr. Friedbert Weiss (The Scripps Research Institute), and Dr. Marina Wolf (Chicago Medical School).

On November 2, 2002, at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Dr. Yu Woody Lin, DNBR chaired a NIDA-sponsored symposium entitled Neuropeptides: A Role in Drug Abuse? This symposium represented a state-of-the-art look at where neuropeptide research stands today and how it is poised to provide insights into the understanding of normal brain functions and brain functions after exposure to drugs of abuse. The speakers were: Dr. Glen Hanson (NIDA/NIH), Dr. S. Hunt (University College London, UK), Dr. Yasmin Hurd (Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden), Dr. George Koob (The Scripps Research Institute), Dr. William Rostene (Hopital St Antoine, Paris, France), and Dr. S. Zahm (St. Louis University).

On November 2, 2002, at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Dr. Susan Volman chaired a NIDA-sponsored poster session: Neurobiology of Drug Abuse: Cellular Mechanisms. The session featured poster presentations related to the two Saturday NIDA symposia on "Neuropeptides: A Role in Drug Abuse?" and "Synaptic Change and Addiction."

On November 2, 2002, at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Drs. Jonathan Pollock, DNBR and Susan Volman, DNBR co-chaired a NIDA-sponsored symposium entitled Synaptic Change and Addiction. The goal of this symposium was to present information about the molecular mechanisms controlling dendritic morphology and the relevance of these mechanisms to long-term adaptations to drugs of abuse. The speakers were: Dr. Terry Robinson (University of Michigan), Dr. Eric Nestler (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center), Dr. Angus Nairn (Rockefeller University), Hollis Cline (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Dr. Kristen Harris (Boston University), Dr. Oswald Steward (University of California, Irvine), Dr. Morgan Sheng (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), and Dr. Kausik Si (Columbia University).

On November 5, 2002, at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Drs Rita Liu, OEA, and Minda Lynch, DNBR, co-chaired a NIDA-sponsored symposium entitled Neurobiology of Relapse. This program was dedicated to the memory of Dr. Roger Brown, DNBR. The current state of knowledge about brain mechanisms underlying relapse to drug addiction, future directions for research, and implications for practice were discussed by: Dr. Glen Hanson (Acting NIDA Director), Dr. Peter Kalivas (The Medical University of South Carolina), Dr. George Koob (The Scripps Research Institute), and Dr. Jane Stewart (Concordia University). Following the symposium, there was an opportunity to meet with NIDA staff to discuss NIDA's interests in behavioral neuroscience, integrative and cellular neurobiology, molecular neurobiology, proteomics, medications development, and other related topics. Staff were also available to discuss "how to prepare a better grant application," training and career development mechanisms, gender research in drug abuse, and opportunities for special populations.

On November 6, 2002, at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, held at the University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, Drs. Pushpa Thadani, DNBR, and Donald Vereen, SPO co-chaired a NIDA-sponsored forum entitled Minority Scholars: Research and Funding Opportunities at the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The forum showcased research at various training levels (undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate, and faculty) affiliated with minority or majority institutions. The speakers were Dr. Delia Vazquez (University of Michigan Medical School) and Cassandra Baskfield (Virginia Commonwealth University). The forum was co-hosted by the University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.

A symposium on Behavioral Drug Abuse Treatment Development as a Prototype for Addressing the Problems of Challenging Populations, organized by DTR&D's Dr. Cece McNamara and Dr. Melissa Racioppo and chaired by Dr. Lisa Onken, was held on November 17, 2002 at the Annual Meeting of the Association For Advancement of Behavior Therapy in Reno, NV. The participants and the titles of their presentations included: Dr. Cece McNamara, NIDA, "Setting the Stage, An Introduction to NIDA's Stage Model for Behavioral Treatment Development Research ", Dr. Marsha Linehan, University of Washington, "From Theory to Therapy: How Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Researchers Met Stage I Therapy Development Challenges," Dr. Bruce Rounsaville, Yale University, "Illustrations of Key Stage II Research Concepts from the Yale Psychotherapy Center: Clinical Trials and Beyond," and Dr. William R. Miller, University of New Mexico, "The Missing Link: Transporting Efficacy into Practice". Dr. Steven Hayes, University of Nevado, Reno, was discussant.

A NIDA-sponsored scientific workshop entitled Understanding the Social Epidemiology of Drug Abuse, organized and co-chaired by Dr. Yonette Thomas, DESPR/ERB (the other co-chair was Dr. Leonard Syme, Professor of Epidemiology (Emeritus), University of California, Berkeley), was held on November 19, 2002, at the Neuroscience Center in Rockville, Maryland. Participants discussed the relevance and potential significant contribution of social epidemiology to the advancement of scientific knowledge in the field of drug abuse, as well as the challenge to encourage social epidemiologists to think more deeply about genes and gene-environment interactions and to encourage geneticists and genetic epidemiologists to think more deeply about the socio-environmental context.

The Center on AIDS and Other Medical Consequences of Drug Abuse (CAMCODA), co-sponsored a science meeting with NIDDK/NIH and the Veterans Health Administration on Co-occurring Hepatitis C, Substance Abuse and Psychiatric Illness: Addressing the Issues and Developing Integrated Models of Care held on December 5 and 6, 2002 in Bethesda, MD. The majority of new and existing cases of hepatitis C are related to injection drug use, and in this population the prevalence of psychiatric co-morbidity is high. Although active drug use is often an exclusion for hepatitis C treatment, even substance abusers in long-term stable recovery may be excluded from interferon (IFN) therapy due to a history of psychiatric symptoms. Although interferon can lead to severe neuropsychiatric side effects including suicidality, the published evidence suggests that many patients with psychiatric diagnoses can be treated safely and effectively. Furthermore, there is now evidence that dually-diagnosed substance abusers with hepatitis C are able to complete interferon treatment with careful monitoring and aggressive intervention. Unfortunately, there are few programs or treatment models that that are designed to systematically manage the substance abuse and psychiatric co-morbidity of people with HCV immediately prior to and during IFN therapy. Therefore the purpose of convening this multidisciplinary panel of experts was to begin a discussion of the long range needs for the development of a multidisciplinary approach to HCV treatment in this challenging patient population.

CAMCODA was a co-sponsor along with NIDDK/NIH, and CDC of a workshop on Management of Hepatitis C in Prisons held January 25-26, 2003 in San Antonio, Texas. The workshop addressed the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of hepatitis C in prisons. Topics included the identification of infected prisoners, treatment outcome, resource allocation, and translating and implementing recommendations into practice.

NIDA's Center on AIDS and Other Medical Consequences of Drug Abuse (CAMCODA) held a Working Meeting on HIV Acquisition and Transmission Among Drug-Using Populations: Future Research Strategies on October 10-11, 2002, in Washington, D.C. The meeting brought together a diverse group of experts in the HIV/AIDS behavioral research arena to discuss the status of knowledge in their respective disciplines and to exchange information and ideas on future behavioral research issues, needs, and priorities. The focus of the meeting was on what is known, and what remains unknown, about the epidemiology and prevention of sexual HIV transmission among injecting and non-injecting drug users and from drug users to non-drug-using populations. Discussion sessions provided the participants with an opportunity to ask questions and consider critical next steps in research on the behavioral, biological, and environmental processes implicated in the sexual transmission of HIV among drug-using populations. The presentations and discussions of the participants are now being prepared as manuscripts for publication in a special issue of a peer-reviewed journal, expected to be available in the spring/summer of 2003. Jacques Normand, Ph.D., and Elizabeth Lambert, M.Sc., of CAMCODA's Population-Based Health Intervention Unit, organized the Working Meeting, which was chaired by David Vlahov, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Urban Epidemiologic Studies at the New York Academy of Medicine.

NIDA's Child and Adolescent Workgroup, Street Youth Interest Group, and Center on AIDS and Other Medical Consequences of Drug Abuse (CAMCODA) sponsored a workshop on Future Research on Runaway, Homeless, and Street Youth, December 4, 2002, Washington, DC. Experts that have worked with these populations in urban and rural regions across the United States and Canada were invited to share their work and to identify methodological challenges and research gaps that remain in the field. Drs. Glen Hanson and Vince Smeriglio presented opening remarks. The workshop was organized by Jessica Campbell, Ph.D. and members of the Street Youth Interest Group, and was chaired by Les Whitbeck, Ph.D., of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The meeting agenda, list of participants, and a meeting summary will appear on the website soon and a publication in an academic journal is being considered.

Donald R. Vereen, Jr., M.D., M.P.H., Acting Chief, Special Populations Office and Special Assistant to the Acting Director, NIDA, along with Ana Anders, Senior Advisor on Special Populations, chaired the Second Annual Conference of NIDA's National Hispanic Science Network on Drug Abuse held on September 26 - 28, 2002 in Los Angeles, California. NIDA staff plenary presenters at the conference included Dr. Glen Hanson, Acting Director, Dr. Frank Vocci, Director, DTR&D, and Dr. Wilson Compton, Director, DESPR. In addition, NIDA staff Drs. Joseph Frascella, Jerry Flanzer and Ivan Montoya and Ms. Moira O'Brien participated in a grantwriting workshop.

On January 21st and 22nd, 2003, the Behavioral Treatment Development Branch hosted a meeting entitled, Behavioral Treatment Research: Future Directions. The meeting brought together leaders in the treatment research field to discuss how to maximize the quality of the science and public health impact of NIDA's Behavioral Therapies Development Program.

CTN National Steering Committee Meetings were held in Bethesda, MD, October 21-23, 2002; and in Miami FL on January 27-29, 2003.

The CTN Dissemination Subcommittee conducted a meeting on October 20, 2002, in Bethesda, MD.

The CTN Data Management Subcommittee conducted a meeting on October 23-24, 2002, in Bethesda, MD.

A CTN New Grantee Orientation Meeting was held in Bethesda, Maryland on October 7-8, 2002, at which the attendees were provided information regarding the policies and procedures of the CTN.

CCTN Classroom Series: On November 8, 2002, NIDA CCTN and NIAAA Service Research Branch co-sponsored a seminar presented by Dr. Jon Morgenstern of Mount Sinai School of Medicine on testing the effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT) in treating cocaine-addicted patients in community treatment programs; On December 6, 2002, Dr. Glen Hanson, NIDA's Acting Director presented "The Neurobiology of Addiction".

The CTN Data and Safety Monitoring Board met January 16-17, 2003, in Bethesda, Maryland.

The CTN Quality Assurance Subcommittee met January 30, 2002 in Miami, Florida.

Dr. Timothy P. Condon, Associate Director, NIDA, gave the Keynote presentation, "The Science of Addiction Treatment" at the State of Maryland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration Management Conference in Timonium, Maryland on September 25, 2002.

Dr. Timothy P. Condon presented "Addiction as a Brain Disease: Implications for Research and Practice" at the Addiction and the Brain Symposium at Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, California, on October 4, 2002.

Dr. Timothy P. Condon presented "Neurobiology of Nicotine Addiction" at the 2002 National Conference on Tobacco or Health in San Francisco, California on November 20, 2002.

Dr. Jack Stein, Deputy Director, OSPC, presented "Quality Treatment for Substance Use Disorders" at the Demand Treatment! Leadership Institute I Conference in Miami Beach, Florida on October 21, 2002.

Dr. Jack Stein presented "Update on NIDA's Prescription Drug Abuse Initiative" for the National Council on Patient Information and Education in Washington, DC on October 22, 2002.

Dr. Jack Stein presented "Update on NIDA Activities" at CADCA's National Leadership Forum held in Washington, DC on October 25, 2002.

Dr. Jack Stein participated in a panel presentation on "Science to Services" at the Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Providers of New York State (ASAP) 6th Annual Conference in Syracuse, New York on October 28, 2002.

Dr. Jack Stein presented as the keynote speaker "Risks, Raves, & Research: Update on Club Drugs" at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia on November 4, 2002.

Dr. Jack Stein participated in a panel presentation on "Science to Services" at the ATTC Advisory Meeting in Washington, DC on November 5, 2002.

Dr. Jack Stein participated in a panel presentation on "Science to Services" at the CSAT/Practice Improvement Collaborative Meeting in Washington, DC on November 7, 2002.

Dr. Cindy Miner, Chief, Science Policy Branch, OSPC, organized and chaired the NIDA/NIMH Grantwriting Workshop at the annual American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry meeting in San Francisco, CA, October 25, 2002. Dr. Editha Nottelmann of NIMH and Dr. Melissa Racioppo of NIDA's Behavioral Treatment Development Branch also participated.

Dr. Cindy Miner organized and co-chaired the NIDA/AACAP Institute, "The Impact of Psychiatric Co-Morbidity on Substance Abuse in Children and Adolescents" at the annual American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Meeting held in San Francisco, CA, October 26, 2002. Dr. Melissa Racioppo, Behavioral Treatment Development Branch discussed NIDA's efforts at developing integrated treatment models for co-morbid psychiatric and substance abuse problems.

Dr. Cindy Miner presented at the Pain Forum held in Washington, D.C., November 19, 2002 on NIDA's prescription drug abuse efforts.

Dr. Cathrine Sasek, OSPC, presented "Science Education at NIDA" at the Society For Neuroscience symposium "Funding Your Science Education Programs" on November 3, 2002 in Orlando, Florida.

Dr. Cathrine Sasek presented an overview of NIDA's new elementary school curriculum, "Brain Power, NIDA Junior Scientists," to the National Clearinghouse on Alcohol and Drug Information on December 10, 2002 in Rockville, Maryland.

Drs. Suman Rao, OSPC, and Mary Ann Stephens, CCTN, served as NIDA discussants regarding the NIDA-ATTC Collaboration at the ATTC Meeting on September 10, 2002 in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Suman Rao presented information about the NIDA-ATTC collaboration in dissemination efforts at the SAMSHA/ATTC Meeting on November 4, 2002 in Washington D.C.

Dr. Suman Rao gave the keynote talk at the Central New York Practice Research Network Conference, Strengthening Partnerships: Changing Systems Through Research and Practice, on November 21, 2002.

Dr. Rao S. Rapaka, DNBR, attended the 2002 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS), Toronto, November 10-14, 2002. He served as the Moderator and Chair for the AWARD luncheon for the Medicinal Chemistry Achievement Award. This years' award was presented to Dr. Alexandros Makriyannis. Dr. Rapaka chaired the interactive discussion following the award talk by Dr. Makriyannis.

Dr. Jerry Frankenheim, DNBR, presented at the Maryland Governor's Interagency Suicide Prevention Conference, Baltimore on "Neurobiology of MDMA ("Ecstasy," or "Despair"?), October 10, 2002. This was a Club Drugs Workgroup activity.

Dr. Herb Weingartner, DNBR, presented a talk and conducted a workshop at the national e-learning and collaborative meeting in Boston, MA on June 25-27, 2002. The title of his talk was "Building Learning and Collaborative Environments with Cognitive Neuroscience Knowledge"

Dr. William Corrigall, DNBR, chaired a NIDA symposium entitled Tobacco Addiction and its Treatment in Adolescent Cigarette Smokers at the 2002 National Conference on Tobacco or Health in San Francisco, CA, November 19-21, 2002.

Dr. William Corrigall presented a paper on Brain Pathways and Neurochemicals in Nicotine Addiction in a NIDA symposium entitled The Neurobiology of Nicotine Addiction at the 2002 National Conference on Tobacco or Health in San Francisco, CA, November 19-21, 2002.

Dr. William Corrigall, DNBR, presented testimony to the Cessation Subcommittee of the Interagency Committee on Smoking and Health at its December 3, 2002 meeting in Chicago, IL.

Dr. Jonathan Pollock, DNBR, organized a satellite symposium at the American Society of Human Genetics meeting on Funding Opportunities at NIDA through the Genetics of Addiction Vulnerability initiative. The symposium was held in Baltimore, MD in October 2002.

Dr. Frank Vocci, DTR&D, attended a meeting on Assessing Abuse Liability of CNS Drugs on October 27-29, 2002 in Bethesda, MD. Eleven professional societies and seven Federal agencies co-sponsored the meeting. Presentations on preclinical and clinical laboratory assessments, abuse liability and physical dependence in clinical trials for other indications, and epidemiological studies for the detection of actual abuse were discussed at the meeting. Experts deliberated on the status of the current ability to detect signals of abuse liability and the likelihood that these assays would have validity in the future. The presentation summaries will be published in a supplement of Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

Dr. Harold Gordon, DTR&D, attended the annual Society for Neuroscience meeting in Orlando, FL taking part in NIDA-sponsored events to present NIDA research to attendees and to minority faculty at a local university.

Dr. Joseph Frascella participated in a NIDA-sponsored workshop entitled "Future Research on Runaway, Homeless, and Street Youth," held in Washington, D.C., December 4, 2002.

Dr. Steven Grant, DTR&D, participated in a workshop on "NIH Funding Opportunities" at the annual meeting of the EEG and Clinical Neuroscience Society in Baltimore, Maryland on September 11-14, 2002.

Dr. Steven Grant served as moderator of a workshop entitled "fMRI Investigations in Neuropsychiatry: Approaches to Research Design and Analysis" at the annual meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology in San Juan, Puerto Rico, December 8-12, 2002. Participants in the workshop included Mark Potenza (Yale Univ), Godfrey Pearlson (Institute for Living), John Gore (Vanderbilt Univ), Daniel Kimberg (Univ Penn.), Michael Huerta (NIMH), Thomas Ross (NIDA IRP).

Dr. Lisa Onken, DTR&D, presented an Invited Address, "A Stage Model of Behavioral Treatment Research: Stimulating and Capitalizing on Behavioral Science" at the annual meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy on November 16, 2002 in Reno, NV. The address focused on both the accomplishments and obstacles faced by the behavioral treatment research field, and how NIDA's stage model of behavioral treatment research was designed to overcome some of these obstacles and maximize the impact of behavioral treatment research.

Dr. Lisa Onken provided introductory remarks at the meeting, "New Hope for Borderline Personality Disorder," December 2 & 3, 2002, Bethesda, MD.

Debra Grossman, DTR&D, participated in a workshop on human subjects and ethical issues related to treatment and research in the area of youth smoking cessation on October 16, 2002 in Chicago, IL.

Dr. Lula Beatty, Chief, Special Populations Office, presented a session on funding opportunities at NIDA at the Asian and Pacific Islander Summit on HIV/AIDS (API SHARE) on November 16, 2002 in Oakland, California.

Dr. Lula Beatty presented a session on funding opportunities at NIDA and NIH at the 8th International Meeting of the Research Centers in Minority Institutions on December 7, 2002 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Dr. Lula Beatty attended a meeting of Historically Black Colleges and Universities interested in substance abuse research convened at Natcher Auditorium on December 5, 2002.

Dr. Donald R. Vereen, Jr., along with Ana Anders, held a research agenda development meeting with a group of Asian American and Pacific Islander (API) researchers and service providers on October 21 - 22, 2002 in Los Angeles, California.

Dr. Donald R. Vereen, Jr. delivered the keynote address at the Ninth Annual Conference on Behavior, Clinical Neuroscience, Substance Abuse and Culture in Los Angeles, California on October 23, 2002.

Dr. Donald R. Vereen, Jr. made a presentation at the Asian and Pacific Islander Summit on HIV/AIDS (API SHARE) on November 16, 2002 in Oakland, California.

Dr. Donald R. Vereen, Jr. participated in a conference entitled "The African Diaspora: Psychiatric Issues" at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts November 17 - 21, 2002.

Dr. Donald R. Vereen, Jr. developed and participated in the workshop "Substance Abuse, Research Needs, and Southwest Pueblos in Albuquerque, New Mexico, November 25, 2002.

Ana Anders, Senior Advisor on Special Populations, represented NIDA at a planning meeting for the ATTC Hispanic Initiative convened by SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment on September 17 - 18, 2002 in Washington, D.C.

Ana Anders, as past-president of the NIH Hispanic Employee Organization, was a member of the planning committee that presented the Hispanic Heritage Month Program at NIH on September 19, 2002.

Ana Anders served as chairperson for planning the research track of the Latino Behavioral Health Institute's annual conference held September 24 - 26, 2002 in Los Angeles, California. In addition, she moderated a panel at the same conference.

Ana Anders participated in SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment meeting on Children's Mental Health and Co-Occurring Issues, held on December 13, 2002 in Washington, D.C.

Jag H. Khalsa, Ph.D., CAMCODA, participated in a workshop at the Annual Meeting of the Asian and Pacific Islanders Association, Oakland, CA, November, 15-17, 2002, where he discussed current research on drug abuse and co-occurring infections including HIV, Hepatitis C, and others, with emphasis on minorities. The participants, young and established investigators, also learned about funding opportunities at NIDA.

Jag H. Khalsa, Ph.D. of CAMCODA co-chaired with Dr. Walter Royal of Morehouse Medical College, Atlanta, a session on: "Do Drugs of Abuse Impact on HIV Disease Progression?" at the Annual meeting of the Society of Neuroimmune Pharmacology (SNIP), October 2-5, 2002, Clear Water, Florida. A group of outstanding neuroimmunologists presented their current research on the subject and made recommendations for further research. The proceedings will be published in the Journal of Neuroimmunology.

Dr. Dionne J. Jones, CAMCODA, participated on a panel entitled "Model HIV/Substance Abuse Prevention Programs" and gave a talk on "Interventions for At Risk Minority Substance Abusing Women" at the Center on Substance Abuse Prevention, SAMHSA grantees conference, in Washington, DC on November 19, 2002.

On October 9, 2002, Dr. Elizabeth Robertson, DESPR, participated in the Purdue Pharma Scientific Advisory Board meeting to discussion prevention of prescription drug abuse.

Dr. Elizabeth Robertson made a presentation to the Duke University sponsored meeting titled, Deviant Peer Contagion, at the Riggs Library, Georgetown University, October 28 - October 29, 2002.

Dr. Elizabeth Robertson was invited by the Hormone Foundation to represent the Division of Epidemiology, Services and Prevention Research, at their discussions on Adolescent Hormone Abuse Prevention at the Monarch Hotel, Washington, DC, November 8, 2002.

Dr. Aria Crump, DESPR, gave a presentation entitled, "Prevention Research at NIDA: Lessons for Practice" at the CSAP Substance Abuse Prevention/HIV Prevention in Minority Communities Grantee meeting, Washington, D.C., Capital Hilton, November 19, 2002.

Dr. Shakeh J. Kaftarian presented a paper at the American Evaluation Association Conference on November 6th, 2002 in Crystal City, Virginia, Hyatt Regency Hotel. The paper was titled "Empowerment Evaluation in the Cycle of Prevention Research and Practice."

Dr. Susan Martin, DESPR, presented a talk entitled "The Effectiveness of Anti-Drug Media Campaigns to Address Youth Drug Abuse," at the annual meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Chicago, Illinois on November 14, 2002.

Dr. Eve Reider, DESPR, was a discussant at a symposium, "Assessment and Prevention of Risk-Taking Behaviors in High-Risk Populations," at the 2002 36th Annual Convention of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, November 15, 2002 at the Reno Hilton Hotel in Reno, Nevada.

Dr. Kevin Conway, DESPR, served as Discussant for the Neuroscience Seminar Series on Child and Adolescent Drug Abuse and Psychopathology: "Epidemiology of Child and Adolescent Drug Abuse and Psychopathology." Dr. Conway discussed presentations by Drs. Diane L. Elliott, E. Jane Costello, and Kathleen Merikangas.

Dr. Kevin Conway, Dr. Lynda Erinoff, and Mr. Arnold Mills, DESPR, presented a paper entitled "Understanding the Epidemiology, Etiology, and Consequences of Drug Abuse and Crime" at the 54th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Criminology held in Chicago, Illinois, on November 14, 2002.

Dr. Howard Chilcoat, DESPR, presented a paper entitled "Testing Causal Pathways between Drug Abuse and PTSD" as part of a symposium on traumatic stress and substance abuse at the annual meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies in Baltimore, MD on November 8, 2002. He also presented this talk at the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment's State Systems Program Development Conference in Washington DC on November 20, 2002.

Dr. Howard Chilcoat served as an expert panelist for the College on Problems of Drug Dependence meeting "Abuse Liability Assessment of CNS Drugs" October 28-29, 2002 in Bethesda, MD.

Dr. Marilyn Huestis, IRP, serves on the US Anti-doping Research Advisory Board, which oversees research projects and grants on new analytical methods, ethics in sport, and establishment of anti-doping policy. Each year the U.S. Anti-doping Agency has an international meeting on different aspects of anti-doping in sports. Representatives of most of the International Olympic Committee certified laboratories and from the different sporting societies, as well as experts in hematology, diagnostics, the World Anti-doping Agency and the Research Advisory Board attended this interesting congress. This meeting focused on "Oxygen Transport Enhancing Agents and Methods" and included detection of recombinant erythropoetin, darbopoetin, blood transfusions, high altitude training, blood substitutes, and establishment of normal group ranges and individual normal ranges.

Dr. Jean Lud Cadet, IRP, presented "Speed Kills: Molecular and Cellular Bases of Methamphetamine-induced Neuropathology" at the NIH Academy on November 26, 2002.

Dr. Betty Tai, Director, CCTN, gave the plenary presentation to attendees of the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse (AMERSA) Annual National Conference in Washington, DC, on November 9, 2002. Her topic was "The NIDA CTNÐ Blending Research and Practice".

Dr. Betty Tai, along with CTN CTP representatives, Ron Jackson and Al Cohen participated in the National Treatment Outcomes Monitoring System (NTOMS) Data Users Panel Meeting in Arlington, Virginia, December 3-4, 2002.