RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

Each trainee will be assigned a preceptor who will help the trainee develop a focus of research interest. Fellows will progress from preparing a literature review to designing and conducting an independent project. At the completion of the fellowship trainees will begin to present original research at meetings and develop a grant for submission. One of the strengths of the Psychiatric Institute is the high concentration of researchers from a variety of disciplines. At present, there are over seventy major projects being carried out by senior investigators. Areas under investigation include:

• Family/genetic studies of substance abusers
• Abuse liability studies with control and special populations
• Prevalence of dual diagnosis disorders in psychiatric and substance abuse treatment settings
• Innovative psychological and pharmacological treatments of substance abuse disorders with and without comorbid psychopathology
• Human pharmacology studies within laboratory and controlled residential environments.

The trainee has a diverse group of senior researchers with whom he/she can develop formal or informal collaborations.

The three specialized research facilities within the Division on Substance Abuse include:

• Clinical Research Center (CRC) at Presbyterian Hospital. The CRC, an inpatient research unit located within New York Presbyterian Hospital is currently being utilized for conducting studies of drug self-administration.

• The Substance Use Research Center (SURC). The SURC, a residential laboratory located in the Psychiatric Institute, provides a unique setting for evaluating human behavior within the context of carefully controlled naturalistic conditions.

• The Substance Treatment and Research Service (STARS). STARS is the Division’s outpatient research treatment service where clinical trials of pharmacotherapies and psychotherapies for substance use disorders are conducted.