CONTENTS

A. NIAAA Budget

Congressional Activity   On June 7, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education held the markup for the FY 2007 Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriation bill, which includes funding for NIH. The full House Appropriations Committee marked up the bill on June 17. The bill would provide $28,258,203,000 for NIH and $433,318,000 for NIAAA, a 0.5 percent decrease below the FY 2006 appropriation level. The subcommittee mark for NIAAA is identical to the FY 2007 President's budget request. The FY 2007 House Appropriations Committee report language for the Labor, HHS, and Education bill was agreed to by the committee members on June 20, 2006 (House Report 109-515/H.R. 5647). The bill itself has not been passed by the House, and it remains uncertain when the bill will see House floor consideration.

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education held the markup for the FY 2007 appropriation bill on July 20, and the Senate full committee approved the draft measure. The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee is recommending $28,550,667,000 for the NIH and $436,630,000 for NIAAA, an increase of 0.16 percent over the FY 2006 appropriation level. There has been no vote in the Senate on the Labor, HHS, and Education appropriation, and no conference action has been scheduled.

A summary comparing the President's request, the House level and the Senate level is below (all dollars in thousands):

The good news is that the estimated value of the Biomedical Research and Development Price Index for FY 2005 has been revised from 5.5 percent to 3.8 percent.

B. Director's Activities

Research Society on Alcoholism   At the official opening of the 2006 Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) meeting June 25, Dr. Li gave an update on NIAAA. The meeting took place June 23 to 28 in Baltimore.

International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism   On September 11, Dr. Li gave a keynote presentation at the 2006 World Congress on Alcohol Research sponsored by the International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism (ISBRA). The meeting took place in Sydney, Australia, September 10 to 13. Dr. Li's talk was entitled "Is There a Future for Quantifying Drinking in the Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention of Alcohol Use Disorders?"

ISBRA Satellite Meeting   An ISBRA satellite meeting on "Alcohol Use Disorders: The Diagnostic Conundrum," took place in Sydney September 14-15. Dr. Li chaired this meeting and gave opening remarks and an overview. Among the speakers at the satellite meeting were Drs. Bridget Grant, Deborah Dawson, and Markus Heilig.

Congressional Briefing   Dr. Li was invited to participate in a congressional briefing September 6 on "The Future of Treating Alcoholism: Cutting Edge Pharmaceutical Innovations." Congressman Jim Ramstad (Minnesota) and Congressman Patrick Kennedy (Rhode Island), co-chairs of the Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Caucus, invited Dr. Li to be a speaker on the program. RSA sponsored the briefing in conjunction with Cephalon, Inc., Alkermes, Inc., and Forest Labs. Dr. Li's talk was entitled "Alcohol Research and Health: Preventing and Treating Alcoholism and Alcohol-Related Disorders." Also making presentations at the briefing were Dr. Kathleen Grant, current president of RSA, Dr. David Gastfriend, Vice President of Medical Affairs, Alkermes, Inc., and Dr. Jeffrey Jonas, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Forest Research Institute. The briefing took place at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC.

C. NIAAA Staff and Organization

Abraham Bautista, Ph.D.   Dr. Abraham Bautista joined NIAAA as Chief of NIAAA's Extramural Project Review Branch. Dr. Bautista holds a doctoral degree in medicine and immunology from the University of Aberdeen. He comes to NIAAA from his position at NIH's Center for Scientific Review where he was the Scientific Review Administrator for the NeuroAIDS and AIDS Immunology and Pathogenesis Study Sections. Prior to that, he conducted alcohol research as an independent investigator and as a core director in the Alcohol Research Center at Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, where he was professor of physiology. Dr. Bautista has made noteworthy contributions in the alcohol field through his research as well as numerous professional and academic appointments.

Blueprint for Neuroscience Awards   In July, the following Division of Neuroscience and Behavior program staff received the Blueprint for Neuroscience Research Directors' Award for Significant Achievement in recognition of their outstanding effort and exemplary teamwork as members of various NIH Neuroscience Blueprint Teams: Dr. Roger Sorensen (Centers Core Project Team); Dr. Lindsey Grandison (Course Development in the Neurobiology of Disease Project Team); Dr. Ellen Witt (Blueprint Pediatric MRI Study Project Team); Dr. Lisa Neuhold (Neuromouse Project Team); and Drs. Lindsey Grandison and Roger Sorensen (Research Training Project Team).

Ricardo Brown, Ph.D.   Dr. Ricardo Brown has been named NIAAA Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Coordinator. The minority health coordinator provides leadership and guidance to NIAAA staff on all aspects of extramural activities related to minority health and health disparities. Dr. Brown will continue in his present position as a health science administrator in the Division of Metabolism and Health Effects (DMHE).

Dr. Brown also received two awards recently: in June he received an NIH Director's Award for exemplary service as a member of the group that developed the Trans-NIH Type 1 Diabetes Research Strategic Plan. He was also selected in May as a Fellow for the 2007 Class of Leadership of Greater Washington. Leadership Greater Washington is a membership organization that connects and challenges regional leaders for the purpose of improving the quality of life in the greater Washington area.

Vivian Faden, Ph.D.   The American Psychological Association (APA) has named Dr. Vivian Faden as one of three recipients of the APA Meritorious Research Service Commendation. The commendation recognizes outstanding psychologists who have fostered the discipline through their programmatic activities in support of psychological science at funding agencies. Dr. Faden was honored for "her role in shaping the priorities of the federal alcohol research effort and her strong and articulate advocacy for the importance of social and behavioral research on alcohol abuse and related problems."

Robert Freeman, Ph.D.   Dr. Robert Freeman received a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Director's Award for his work on the trans-NIH Child Abuse and Neglect Working Group.

Robin Kawazoe   Following Steve Long's departure from NIAAA, Ms. Kawazoe has been named Acting Executive Officer. She will continue in her position as Acting Deputy Director, NIAAA.

Jason Lazarow   Jason Lazarow, science education coordinator in NIAAA's Office of Science Policy and Communications, left the Institute in August to return to teaching. Mr. Lazarow joined what was then NIAAA's Office of Collaborative Research in 2002 and subsequently built a program of education-related grants and contracts. He assisted other agencies with program development and curriculum review and his efforts in national and local outreach included teacher professional development across the country. He made presentations to students in schools and universities in the local area, elsewhere in the U.S., and overseas. In the fall, Mr. Lazarow will be teaching 5th to 9th grade science and mathematics at the Siena School in Silver Spring and doing educational consulting.

Stephen Long   NIAAA Executive Officer Stephen Long left NIAAA in September to take a position as Associate Director for Administration at the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center located on the university's medical campus at Baltimore. Mr. Long has worked in the Federal government for 36 years, 28 of them at NIAAA. He was named NIAAA executive officer in 2000, before which he served as budget and planning officer and then director of what was at the time the Office of Policy, Legislation, and Public Liaison. From 1988-92, he served as director of financial management for the then Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration. His NIAAA accomplishments include the establishment of the "Research-to-Practice Network," a national initiative to help State alcohol treatment centers adopt current, research-based alcoholism treatments. He also launched an initiative to combat the growing problem of binge drinking on college campuses. The effort brought together 10 college presidents, 20 alcohol researchers, and a number of college and high school students; the result was a report entitled "A Call to Action: Changing the Culture of Drinking at U.S. Colleges," and an award-winning website on college drinking prevention. Mr. Long's many awards include the first Seixas Award for Service from the Research Society on Alcoholism. Most recently, he received the 2006 NIH Director's Award for Mentoring; he has mentored numerous management interns over the years and has served as chair of the committee that oversees NIH's Management Intern Program and NIH's participation in the Presidential Management Intern Program.

Peggy Murray, M.S.W.   As part of the April 2006 reorganization of the NIAAA Office of the Director (OD), Ms. Peggy Murray has moved to a new position as Senior Public Health Advisor in the OD. In this position, Ms. Murray will advise the Institute Director and other senior staff in the areas of international research, behavioral and social science research, and health professions education. She will also devote a significant portion of her time to conducting an alcohol research study.

Denise Russo, Ph.D.   Dr. Denise Russo left the Institute at the end of July to take a position in the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER), Office of the Director. Dr. Russo came to NIAAA in 2001, and was Chief of the Biomedical Research Branch in the Division of Basic Research before the 2003 NIAAA reorganization. Subsequently, she was the program director for immunology in DMHE and served several leadership roles in the Institute, including Coordinator for Research on Women's Health and leader of the trans-divisional Biomarkers Team. At OER, Dr. Russo will be responsible for publication of the NIH Guide to Grants and Contracts, the primary source of information for the extramural research community on funding opportunities and grant-related policy changes.

Peter Silverman, Ph.D., J.D.   Dr. Peter Silverman has been named Deputy Scientific Director in the Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research. Dr. Silverman came to NIAAA in 2002 from the University of Texas (UT) Medical School in Houston, where he was a tenured associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. At UT, he led an active research program in psychopharmacology supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Dr. Silverman has a doctorate in pharmacology from UT, as well as a law degree from the University of Houston. In addition to his new position, he will continue as NIAAA's technology development coordinator.

NIAAA Retreat   On July 25, 2006, NIAAA staff participated in the second annual NIAAA Planning and Budget Retreat. The retreat offers an opportunity for trans-divisional and trans-disciplinary discussion of proposals for research initiatives for funding in FY 2008. The discussion is also intended to facilitate the development of the Institute's Congressional Justification. This year, the retreat was organized according to the themes of the NIAAA Five-Year Strategic Plan-i.e., the developmental periods across the lifespan and cross-cutting research areas, such as alcohol metabolism, gene/environment interaction and epigenetics, neurobiology, and diagnostic criteria.

More than 60 participants from the extramural and intramural research divisions attended the one-day event held in the conference facilities at 5635 Fishers Lane. The agenda included a budget overview by NIAAA Budget Officer Keith Lamirande, followed by eight initiative proposals presented by divisional representatives and NIAAA's transdisciplinary research team leaders. Many of the talks featured discussants and question-and-answer sessions with audience participation.

D. NIAAA Research Programs

Training and New/Young Investigator Awards   NIAAA has placed a strong emphasis on fostering research opportunities for young investigators through the Research Training and Research Career mechanisms. Within the Fellowships training mechanism, from FY 2004 to FY 2005, NIAAA has increased the number of Fellowship awards from 56 to 68 Full-Time Training Position (FTTP) slots. This year, pending final award of Fellowships from the October Council round, NIAAA anticipates a further increase of FTTPs from 68 to 83, an additional 22 percent increase over FY 2005.

Within the Research Career mechanism, from FY 2004 to FY 2005, NIAAA increased Career awards from 76 to 88. In FY 2006, NIAAA anticipates 81 Research Career awards. However, with the implementation of the NIAAA K22 Career Transition Award and the NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence (PI) award, NIAAA anticipates increasing the number of Research Career awards in FY 2007 to 90.

NIAAA is also committed to the development of new investigators within the R01 mechanism. In Fiscal Year 2005, 12 percent of NIAAA's R01 awards were made to new investigators. This year, an estimated 20 percent of NIAAA's R01 awards will be made to new investigators.

Book Published: Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cancer   Dr. Vishnu Purohit co-edited a book entitled Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cancer, published by Karger. Dr. Purohit's co-editor was Dr. Chi Hin Cho from Hong Kong University, Hong Kong. Dr. Li wrote the book's preface; Dr. Sam Zakhari contributed a chapter on alcohol metabolism and Drs. Philip J. Brooks and Jacob A. Theruvathu contributed a chapter on acetaldehyde-DNA adducts and carcinogenesis.

RFAs/PAs

Medications Development   In response to RFA-AA-06-006 and -007, seven applications have been received. These two RFAs solicit grant applications on the development of medications for alcohol abuse/dependence and alcohol-related diseases. Awards will be made under the small business technology transfer (STTR) and small business innovation research (SBIR) grant mechanisms.

Research Reports

Early Drinking and Lifetime Alcoholism Risk   An analysis of data from NIAAA's National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions found that young people who began drinking in their early teens were not only at greater risk of developing alcohol dependence at some point in their lives, but they were also at greater risk of developing dependence more quickly and at younger ages, and of developing chronic, relapsing dependence. The associations between early drinking and later problems held even after investigators controlled for other risk factors for dependence, adding to concerns that drinking at a young age might raise the risk of future alcohol problems rather than being an identifying feature of young people predisposed to risky behavior. Among all respondents who developed alcoholism at some point, almost half (47 percent) met the diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence (alcoholism) by age 21. (Hingson, R.W., Heeren, T., and Winter, M.R. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine 160:739-746, 2006)

Early Alcohol Dependence   Adding to the findings reported in the above publication, additional analysis of NESARC data revealed that individuals who become alcohol dependent before age 25 are less likely to ever seek treatment than those who become alcohol dependent at age 30 or older. They also are more likely to have multiple and longer dependence episodes, and to meet more dependence diagnostic criteria, than those who become alcohol dependent later in life. (Hingson, R.W., Heeren, T., and Winter, M.R. Pediatrics 118:755-763, 2006)

Alcohol's Impact on Serotonin   Alcohol interacts with numerous neurotransmitter systems in the brain to cause its behavioral effects. One known action of alcohol from animal studies is that it increases levels in the brain of serotonin, a neurotransmitter with a range of effects, among them the regulation of mood. A class of commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs achieves the same (serotonin-increasing) effect by inhibiting transporter molecules that mop up serotonin after it has been released into the space between neurons. In this study, carried out by a collaborative team that included NIAAA intramural scientists, alcohol inhibited the clearance of extracellular serotonin in the brains of mice. Alcohol did not achieve this by inhibiting the serotonin transporter (5-HTT). In mice in which the transporter was genetically knocked out, alcohol not only reduced serotonin clearance, but the effect was increased over mice with intact 5-HTT genes. Genetic studies have implicated the serotonin transporter in risk for alcoholism and other psychiatric diseases; this research suggests an added layer of complexity in alcohol's interaction with serotonin. (Daws, L.C., Montañez, S., Munn, J.L., Owens, W.A., Baganz, N.L., Boyce-Rustay, J.M., Millstein, R.A., Wiedholz, L.M., Murphy, D.L., and Holmes, A. The Journal of Neuroscience 26:6431-6438, 2006)

Alcohol Binds GABA(A) Receptors   One of the ways alcohol affects behavior is through its impact on the activity of receptors for the neurotransmitter GABA. Clarifying the nature of this interaction has proven difficult. In companion papers, scientists report that a compound known to counteract the behavioral effects of alcohol (Ro15-4513) binds with high affinity to an alcohol-sensitive GABAA receptor subtype ( 4/6 3 ) and that low doses of alcohol block this binding. (Ro15-4513 is a benzodiazepine, a drug type to which receptors containing a subunit were thought to be insensitive.) The finding that Ro15-4513 and alcohol can occupy a mutually exclusive binding site provides a clear demonstration of a direct interaction of alcohol with a site on GABAA receptors. A second paper reported that at higher doses of alcohol, no amount of Ro15-4513 could block alcohol's enhancement of this GABAA receptor's activity, suggesting that there are two separate sites on the receptor that respond to alcohol. This receptor subtype may be an important target of alcohol's action at doses that are consistent with social drinking. These findings have the potential to clarify the nature of alcohol's impact on GABA neurotransmission; they also suggest the possibility of developing drugs to selectively block (or mimic) alcohol's effects. (Wallner, M., Hanchar, H.J., and Olsen, R.W. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S.A. 104:8540-8545, 2006, and in the same journal issue, Hanchar, H.J., Chutsrinopkun, P., Meera, P., Supavilai, P., Sieghart, W., Wallner, M., and Olsen, R.W., pp. 8546-8551)

Alcohol's Effects on Ion Channels   One of the ways alcohol exerts it effects on the brain and body is by altering the activity of ion channels in cell membranes, and as a result, the flow of ions into and out of cells. In neurons, these changes have an impact on the pace of electrical signaling between cells-reducing the pace of signaling is one avenue towards intoxication. This work identified a mechanism that regulates the sensitivity of a key type of potassium channel, the BK channel, to alcohol. The addition of phosphate to a key site on the molecular chain making up the channel changes the channel's response to alcohol from activation to inhibition; the authors called a particular phosphate-adding molecule a "molecular dimmer switch" with regard to its effect on the alcohol sensitivity of BK channels. The work pinpoints a site of alcohol's action and suggests a mechanism for differences across species and cell types in the response to alcohol. (Liu, J., Asuncion-Chin, M., Liu, P., and Dopico, A.M. Nature Neuroscience 9:41-49, 2006)

Diplotypes of the Human Serotonin 1B Receptor Promoter Predict Growth Hormone Responses to Sumatriptan in Abstinent Alcohol Dependent Men   Several studies have associated alcohol dependence (AD) with the human serotonin 5-HT1B receptor (HTR1B). This investigation explored the functional responsivity of HTR1B in abstinent AD men using a sumatriptan challenge, while controlling for genetic heterogeneity in the HTR1B promoter. A blunting of growth hormone responses in abstinent AD men was observed only among those with the most common HTR1B promoter diplotype. Less common promoter diplotypes appeared protective. Thus, AD may be associated with diminished responsiveness of HTR1B, which is an important regulator of serotonergic functioning, but only among those individuals with a specific genetic background. Controlling for genetic background is a useful augmentation of case-control pharmacological challenge strategies designed to elucidate the psychobiology of AD and other complex disorders. (Moss, H.B., Hardie, T.L., Dahl, J.P., Berrettini, W., Xu, K. Biological Psychiatry, Epub, 2006).

Targeted vs. Daily Naltrexone   Research has demonstrated the efficacy of naltrexone in reducing relapse to heavy drinking. Most studies of naltrexone have focused on daily medication. This analysis looked at the outcome when individuals in treatment took naltrexone in situations they felt increased their risk of drinking heavily (targeted treatment). The study found that both targeted naltrexone, and to a lesser extent targeted placebo, reduced the volume of drinking (drinks per day) relative to that seen with either daily naltrexone or daily placebo. The reduction in drinking seen with targeted naltrexone was most evident in the first half of the 8-week study. In this group of 87 men and 63 women, daily naltrexone (that is, not targeted to specific situations) reduced drinking volume in men but not women. The results suggest that targeted use of medication has potential in helping to reduce drinking in people with alcohol dependence; the findings also raise questions for continued research to address on how naltrexone can be used to greatest effect. (Hernandez-Avila, C.A., Song, C., Kuo, L., Tennen, H., Armeli, S., and Kranzler, H.R. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 30:860-865, 2006)

Brief Interventions to Reduce Harmful Alcohol Use Among Military Personnel: Lessons Learned from the Civilian Experience   Hazardous alcohol use is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Among military personnel, service members between the ages of 18 and 25 had a 27 percent prevalence of heavy drinking in the previous 30 days, compared to 15 percent among civilians in the same age group. Alcohol is associated with a broad range of health consequences that may ultimately present in the emergency department (ED) setting. In the civilian world, more than 100 million patients are treated in U.S. EDs annually; 7.9 percent of these visits are alcohol-related. Motivational interventions have been found to be successful in encouraging clients to change their risky behaviors. This report presents such a technique, called the Brief Negotiated Interview, as performed in a civilian ED setting in hopes of adapting it for use in the military context. Military health care providers could easily adapt this technique to help reduce risky levels of alcohol consumption among service members, retirees, or military dependents. (Fernandez, W.G., Hartman, R.W., and Olshaker, J., Military Medicine, Vol. 171:538-543, 2006)

Alcohol Alters Pancreatic Gene Expression   Long-term heavy drinking is an important risk factor for the development of pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas. At the same time, only a fraction of those who drink heavily develop pancreatitis, suggesting that alcohol alone does not cause the inflammation, but instead, alters the pancreas so it is more vulnerable to harm. This study found that in mice that consumed a diet with alcohol for 8 weeks, the patterns of gene expression in the pancreas were different in comparison with those seen in mice on a standard diet. Among the genes for which expression was found to be altered by alcohol consumption, several play roles in how pancreatic cells protect themselves, and recover, from harm. For example, alcohol increased the expression of the gene for mesotrypsinogen, an enzyme that can contribute to the damage that occurs during acute pancreatitis. Alcohol decreased expression of the gene for a molecule (Mt1a) that plays a role in reducing damage from reactive oxygen species. Alcohol also reduced expression of a gene for a molecule involved in the absorption of folate, a vitamin that is key to normal cell function. The work provides insight into how alcohol could sensitize the pancreas to injury. (Kubisch, C.H., Gukovsky, I., Lugea, A., Pandol, S.J., Kuick, R., Misek, D.E., Hanash, S.M., and Logsdon, C.D. Pancreas 33:68-76, 2006)

Smoking and Cognition in Alcoholism   Problems with cognitive function are one of the consequences of alcoholism. Research has found that smoking can also affect cognitive function and a large percentage of individuals with alcoholism smoke. This study investigated the possible role of smoking in the cognitive status of individuals with alcoholism. In this group of 172 men, both alcoholism and smoking were associated with lower scores in tests of IQ and cognitive proficiency, a measure of the speed and accuracy with which individuals respond to cognitive tasks. Analyses that looked at the combined effects of smoking and alcoholism found that while alcoholism was associated with worse measures of IQ, only smoking significantly predicted measures of both IQ and proficiency. The authors conclude that smoking may account for some of the association between alcoholism and impaired cognitive function. (Glass, J.M., Adams, K.M., Nigg, J.T., Wong, M.M., Puttler, L.I., Buu, A., Jester, J.M., Fitzgerald, H.E., and Zucker, R.A. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 82:119-126, 2006)

Age of Youth Alcohol Initiation Increases   The age at which many youth begin drinking alcohol is increasing, according to an analysis of three different national surveys of youth behavior. Data from the surveys indicate that the percentage of youth who begin very early-before 13-has declined. The study found that seventh and eighth grade are peak years for youth beginning to drink, with 23.8 percent of 13-year-olds and 36.5 percent of 14-year-olds reporting that they have had an alcoholic drink. This study used joinpoint analysis, a statistical method that provides a means of evaluating trends in data collected over time (a joinpoint marks a significant change in the direction of a trend). The three national surveys used in the analysis-Monitoring the Future, the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, and the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System-all provide multi-year data on youth behavior, including alcohol consumption. A detailed picture of trends in youth consumption of alcohol can inform prevention efforts; despite some encouraging signs of change reported here, nearly 80 percent of youth have used alcohol by 12th grade. (Faden, V. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 30:1011-1022, 2006)

Cell Death in Fetal Alcohol Syndrome   Underlying the behavioral and cognitive problems associated with fetal alcohol syndrome are alcohol-induced changes in the brain, including neuronal death. There are a number of regulatory molecules with which alcohol could interact to cause cell death; this study investigated the possible role of PKR, a molecule that, under normal circumstances, plays a part in cell death that occurs in the course of the immune system's anti-viral response. PKR is a protein kinase, a type of molecule that regulates cell function by adding phosphate to key sites on proteins. The study showed in cell culture and in a rat model that alcohol exposure promotes the interaction of PKR with another molecule (RAX) that activates PKR, leading to cell death. The level of RAX in cells determined the sensitivity of PKR activation to ethanol. These results provide insight into a possible mechanism of alcohol-induced fetal cell death; in addition, knowledge of the location of and developmental changes in RAX/PKR activity provides clues to the location and timing of central nervous system damage in fetuses exposed to alcohol. (Chen, G., Ma, C., Bower, K.A., Ke, Z., and Luo, J. Journal of Biological Chemistry 281:15909-15915, 2006)

Prenatal Alcohol and the Immune System   Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders encompass both physical defects and cognitive difficulties. Children exposed to alcohol while in utero may also have recurrent infections, suggestive of a suppressed immune system. In previous work, these investigators found that development of a key class of immune cells, B lymphocytes, was delayed in neonatal mice exposed to alcohol in utero. The present study reports that, in alcohol-exposed neonatal mice, alcohol disrupts the sequence of regulatory factors that sets in motion the differentiation of B lymphocytes from progenitor cells. Although other factors may affect immune system development in alcohol-exposed individuals, the work suggests that alcohol itself can alter the fate of immune cell precursors, and thus long-term immune function. (Wang, H., Zhou, H., Moscatello, K.M., Dixon, C., Brunson, L.E., Chervenak, R., Chervenak, D.C., Zhao, X., and Wolcott, R.M. Cellular Immunology 239:75-85, 2006)

E. Scientific Meetings

New Clinical Drug Evaluation Unit Meeting   Dr. Mark Willenbring gave a presentation on "The Complex Challenge of Comorbid Psychiatric and Alcohol Use Disorders" at the 2006 New Clinical Drug Evaluation Unit Meeting which took place in Boca Raton, FL, June 12-15. NIMH and the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology sponsored the meeting.

Research Society on Alcoholism   The annual meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) took place in Baltimore, June 25 to 28. NIAAA supported 38 junior investigators and 74 students attending the meeting. NIAAA staff participated in a number of meeting activities:

• Dr. Samir Zakhari gave the introduction to the NIAAA-sponsored satellite meeting "Mechanism of Alcohol-Mediated Organ and Tissue Damage: Oxidative Stress, Signal Transduction and Nuclear Receptors." Dr. Vishnu Purohit co-chaired a session at this satellite. In addition, Dr. Zakhari introduced and was the discussant for a symposium on acetaldehyde metabolizing enzymes. He also gave two lectures on alcohol and the cardiovascular system for the RSA lecture series.
• Dr. Mark Willenbring spoke at the satellite meeting on "The Search for Mechanisms of Change in Altering Addictive Behaviors," and he was the discussant at a symposium on receptor polymorphisms and alcoholism endophenotypes.
• Dr. Mary-Anne Enoch was organizer/chair and Dr. David Goldman was co-chair of a symposium on genetic risk for alcoholism and smoking. Both also gave presentations.
• Drs. Zakhari and Tom Gentry led a break-out session at a grantsmanship workshop.
• Dr. Ralph Hingson was the discussant at a symposium on teen and young adult drinking/driving.
• Dr. Bin Gao gave a presentation at a symposium on the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in ethanol-induced pathology.
• Dr. Ellen Witt was the discussant at a symposium on biological factors influenced by alcohol exposure during adolescence.
• Dr. Denise Russo was the organizer/chair of a symposium on mechanisms of regeneration and repair after alcohol use.
• Dr. Markus Heilig was organizer/chair and a speaker at a symposium on targeting stressful neuroadaptations in the treatment of alcoholism. Dr. Li gave the introduction to the symposium.
• Dr. Margaret Mattson gave a presentation at a symposium on the NIAAA clinical trial Combining Medications and Behavioral Interventions for Alcoholism (COMBINE). Dr. Litten was the discussant.
• Dr. Lorraine Gunzerath chaired a workshop on the NIH electronic submission process.
• Dr. Karen Peterson co-chaired a workshop on state of the art methods of measuring in vivo alcohol concentrations.
• Dr. Gregory Bloss introduced a symposium on underage drinking policies in the U.S.

American Psychological Association   The annual convention of the American Psychological Association was held in New Orleans August 10-13. At the convention, Dr. Vivian Faden chaired a session on understanding and addressing underage drinking in the context of development. Dr. Robert Freeman gave a presentation as part of a panel on federal funding for child/adolescent health.

American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases   Dr. Vishnu Purohit spoke on the NIAAA's research focus on alcoholic steatohepatitis and grant funding mechanisms at a conference sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases on Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis. The conference took place in Atlanta, GA, September 7-9.

International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism   The biennial meeting of the International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism took place in Sydney, Australia, September 10 to 13. In addition to Dr. Li's keynote presentation, 14 NIAAA staff participated in symposia at the meeting:

• Dr. Antonio Noronha co-chaired a symposium on the genetics of alcoholism and another on alcohol effects on neuronal stem cell differentiation.
• Dr. Dennis Twombly co-chaired and spoke at a symposium on alcohol, aging, and dementia.
• Dr. Kenneth Warren co-chaired a workshop on gene expression in the liver.
• Dr. Bridget Grant spoke at a symposium on substance use disorders in the DSM and ICD.
• Dr. Mary-Anne Enoch spoke at symposia on studies on a GABA gene network in alcohol dependence and genetic approaches to alcoholism and comorbid disorders.
• Drs. Christina Barr and Andrew Holmes spoke at a symposium on animal models of neurodevelopmental influence on alcohol effects; Dr. Holmes also co-chaired and spoke at a symposium on serotonergic modulation of alcohol actions.
• Dr. Zhaoxia Ren chaired a symposium on reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide in alcohol action.
• Dr. Markus Heilig chaired and spoke at a symposium on targeting stressful neuroadaptations in alcoholism treatment.
• Dr. Li Zhang chaired and spoke at a symposium on ethanol modulation of ligand-gated ion channels.
• Dr. Sam Zakhari co-chaired and spoke at a symposium on new perspectives on alcohol metabolism and tissue damage.
• Dr. J. Dee Higley (formerly with NIAAA) spoke at a symposium on the role of early life environment in vulnerability for high alcohol intake, giving an account of the work he did while in the intramural program.
• Dr. David Lovinger chaired a symposium on alcohol and cannabinoid interactions in neural systems; he and Dr. Marcus Heilig also spoke at the symposium.
• Drs. Bridget Grant, Deborah Dawson, and Markus Heilig spoke at a satellite symposium following ISBRA on "Alcohol Use Disorders: The Diagnostic Conundrum." Dr. Li chaired the meeting.

F. Outreach

Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free   The Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free initiative and Foundation-a not-for-profit group aimed at assuring sustainability of the Leadership's efforts-co-sponsored a meeting on July 13 in Washington, DC, to discuss the dissemination of the upcoming Surgeon General's Call To Action (CTA) on underage drinking. The day's agenda centered on how these organizations could collaborate to disseminate the upcoming CTA to the widest audience, including the media, and what were the most important messages to impart to the public. The meeting was chaired by Nancy Freudenthal, First Lady of Wyoming and a co-chair of the Leadership initiative. Mrs. Freudenthal was joined by her Leadership co-chairs, Columba Bush (FL), Mary Easley (NC), and Hope Taft (OH). Three Foundation board members, Lori Hauser Holden (MO), Cathy Keating (OK), and Sherri Geringer (WY) attended, as well as Patricia Kempthorne, former First Lady of Idaho, who has recently become an emeritus spouse. Also present at the meeting were representatives of the National Association of Attorneys General, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Office of Alcohol and Other Drugs of the American Medical Association, and a number of national and state prevention organizations.

First Lady Mary Easley recently joined the Charlotte Mecklenburg Drug Free Coalition (CMDFC) at a press conference to announce two new Coalition research reports, the 2006 Alcohol Purchase Survey results and the Substance Abuse Indicators Report, both of which focus on information related to these issues in North Carolina. CMDFC, created in 2004, is comprised of more than 40 organizations representing government, law enforcement, business, education, and healthcare agencies in the Charlotte and Mecklenburg, NC, areas. Both reports are available on the CMDFC website at www.drugfreecharlotte.org.

In late June, Lieutenant Governor James "Duke" Aiona, in his capacity as Acting Governor of Hawaii, signed into law two bills to reduce underage drinking in the State. One law (HB3242), which takes effect immediately, strengthens underage drinking enforcement by adding "consumption" (of alcohol) to the list of prohibited activities in a public venue by youth under age 21. This will make it possible for law enforcement to address situations in which a young person has consumed alcohol but was not caught purchasing or possessing it. Under the second law (SB706), the "Use and Lose" law, a person under age 21 who illegally purchases, possesses, or consumes alcohol and is caught will lose his or her driving privileges for at least 180 days. This law takes effect on January 1, 2007.

In May, Karen Baldacci, First Lady of Maine, joined Maine Attorney General Steven Rowe in announcing the "Alcohol Retailer's Local Marketing Code of Conduct," developed by the group Youth Empowerment and Policy (YEP), a statewide youth advocacy group consisting of high school and college students, in partnership with local alcohol retailers. The Code asks retailers to take a number of measures to minimize alcohol displays and advertising that would attract or be accessible to children. Merchants who demonstrate efforts to comply with the Code are awarded with a plaque designating them as a "Youth and Family Friendly Store."

Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America   In recent months, Communications and Public Liaison Branch (CPLB) staff have arranged to have selected NIAAA scientists interviewed for special columns in the online newsletter of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), Coalitions Online. The June 8 issue featured an interview with Dr. Vivian Faden on the dangers youth face during prom season. The August 20 issue featured an interview with Dr. Ricardo Brown on disparities in alcohol use and treatment among minorities and the need for greater minority participation in clinical studies. Each issue of Coalitions Online reaches approximately 13,000 community development and treatment professionals in CADCA's network.

Cool Spot Dissemination   In an effort to promote the Cool Spot website to diverse audiences, CPLB completed a number of joint activities with the American School Counselors Association (ASCA) and the national 4-H Youth Development Program.
ASCA-related activities included the following: