Meetings/Conferences

On September 13-14 and November 18-19, 2004, NIDA convened the final two meetings of the Minority Health Disparities Work Group in Bethesda, Maryland. These meetings were coordinated by Dr. Denise Pintello, OSPC, and chaired by Dr. Jose Szapocznik, who is a member of the National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse. The purpose of this Work Group was to review NIDA's Minority Health Disparities Program and to make recommendations to effectively address research needs and priorities, research training, collaborations, and outreach and dissemination activities for racial/ethnic minority populations. Based on their findings and recommendations, the Work Group members prepared a report for the National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse.

On December 13, 2004, NIDA sponsored a symposium at the Annual Meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology entitled Substance Abuse in the 21st Century: What Problems Lie Ahead for the Baby Boomers? The meeting was organized by Drs. Timothy Condon, Susan Weiss and Gayathri Dowling. Speakers included Drs. Timothy Condon, Deputy Director, NIDA, Susan Resnick, National Institute on Aging, David Oslin, University of Pennsylvania, and Frederic Blow, University of Michigan. Among the topics discussed were: the potential impact of substance abuse in the baby boomer generation, the changes the brain undergoes across the lifespan and how drug abuse may impact these changes, the impact of substance abuse and psychiatric co-morbidity in older adults, and the misuse and abuse of prescription drugs and alcohol in elderly populations. The purpose of this symposium was to increase awareness, begin discussion, encourage interest, and help generate a research agenda in this area.

A NIDA-Sponsored Meeting on Developing Efficacious Behavioral Therapies for Criminal Justice Involved Populations, was organized and co-chaired by Drs. Cece McNamara, Lisa Onken, and Melissa Racioppo of the Behavioral and Integrative Treatment Branch, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Development and Behavioral Treatment. This meeting was held on December 1-2, 2004 at the Washingtonian Marriott in Gaithersburg, MD.

A two-day FNRB/DBNBR Workshop, entitled Mechanisms of Brain Resiliency and Repair was held in the Neuroscience Center Building, October 7-8, 2004. Its purpose was to help NIDA determine the optimal strategy regarding brain resiliency and repair research directed towards the neurotoxic consequences of drug abuse. Speakers were drawn primarily from leaders in their fields of neural protection and recovery (spontaneous, physiological recovery as well as interventions to enhance recovery) for the broad range of neurodegenerative diseases in general. In addition, a brief (4 invited speakers) symposium of the same name was held October 22, 2004 as part of the NIDA "Mini-Convention" at the annual Society for Neuroscience Convention in San Diego.

NIDA organized a Satellite Symposium Workshop at the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists' (AAPS) Annual Meeting, November 5-7, 2004, on the topic of Natural Products and Nutraceuticals. The Workshop was entitled Naturceuticals (Natural Products), Nutraceuticals, Herbal Botanicals, and Psychoactives: Drug Discovery and Drug-Drug Interactions. The workshop was organized by Dr. Rao S. Rapaka and the co-sponsors from the AAPS were the DDD Section, Drug Metabolism Focus Group (DFG) and the Nutraceutical Focus Group. Approximately 30 speakers presented talks at one of the workshop's six sessions. This workshop was attended by a large number of researchers from academe and industry. The proceedings of the workshop will be edited by Dr. Rapaka and will appear as a special volume of Life Sciences.

Drs. David Shurtleff, DBNBR, Rita Liu, OEA and Cathrine Sasek, OSPC, organized the NIDA Mini-Convention, Frontiers in Addiction Research, a Satellite Symposium at the 2004 meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in San Diego CA. Following introductory remarks by Dr. Timothy Condon, NIDA Deputy Director, more than 600 attendees to this third consecutive mini-convention, attended a day-long series of six scientific sessions devoted to the latest NIDA supported drug abuse research. The mini-convention featured a "young investigators" poster session during the lunch break and a keynote address by the Jacob P. Waletzky Award Recipient, Dr. Antonello Bonci. The scientific sessions and their chairs/organizers included:

Drs. Yonette Thomas and Meyer Glantz, DESPR, co-chaired the NIDA Science Workshop on Drug Abuse: A Workshop on Behavioral and Economic Research, October 18-20, 2004. This was a multi-disciplinary science meeting that DESPR collaborated on with the Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Development, and Behavioral Treatment (DCNDBT) and the Division of Basic Neuroscience and Behavioral Research (DBNBR).

The CTN Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) met November 16-17, 2004, in Gaithersburg, MD. The DSMB group reviewed ongoing protocols, focusing on their data and safety monitoring plans, progress to date, and feasibility. This is the first meeting in which the studies Lead Investigators (LI) have been invited to address the DSMB. The study LIs from four protocols attended this meeting to report on trial enrollment status and targets.

A CTN symposium chaired by Dr. Kathleen Brady (South Carolina Node) and Dr. Jack Blaine (NIDA CCTN Special Consultant) was held at the 2004 annual meeting of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry on December 10th in San Juan, Puerto Rico. CTN Presenters included Dr. Kathleen Brady on Update of CTN including new initiatives for 2005, Dr. Denise Hien (Long Island Node) on Implementing Interventions for Women with Trauma in Community Drug Treatment Settings: Research Update and Clinical Challenges, Dr. Robert Hubbard (North Carolina Node) on Preliminary Findings from A Feasibility Study of a Telephone Enhancement of Long-Term Engagement (TELE) to Improve Participation in Continuing Care Activities after Discharge from Residential Treatment, and Dr. Jack Blaine on Motivational Incentives: Effects on Retention and Stimulant Drug Use in Community Treatment Clinics.

Several CTN researchers and community treatment providers presented at the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence Conference (AATOD) on October 17, 2004, in Orlando, FL. The objectives of this session were to provide an overview of the CTN, to present preliminary CTN findings, to discuss the challenges encountered when blending research and practice, and to discuss plans for further disseminating CTN protocol results.

A National Recruitment and Retention Workshop was conducted on September 13-14, 2004 in Albuquerque, NM. The focus of the workshop was strategies for recruitment in drug abuse treatment clinical trials, as well as, plans for retention and follow-up of patients.

The CTN Training Subcommittee met on September 15-16, 2004 in Albuquerque, NM.

The CTN National Steering Committee Meeting was held September 28-30, 2004, in Detroit, Michigan. The SC discussed new studies for initiation in 2005 and the status of ongoing efforts.

The CTP Caucus and the newly formed PI Caucus met on September 28, 2004. Dr. Volkow was able to meet with the group.

The CTN Executive Committee met on September 29-30, 2004. The committee reviewed plans for prioritization of trials and protocols under development.

The Portfolio Coordinating Committee (PCC) met on September 29, 2004, at the Detroit Meeting.

The Operations Coordinating Committee (OCC) met on September 29, 2004, at the Detroit Meeting.

The External Affairs Coordinating Committee (EACC) met on September 29, 2004, at the Detroit Meeting.

The following Interest Groups (IG) met during the Detroit Steering Committee Meeting: Adolescent IG, Co-Occurring IG, Gender IG, Nicotine Treatment Research IG, Pharmacotherapy IG, and Spirituality IG, Treatment Matching IG.

Dr. Arnaldo Quinones organized a meeting of the CTN Prescription Opioid Treatment Study group. The meeting was held on December 3, 2004 in New York City, and was chaired by Dr. Quinones. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the research hypothesis for the "Prescription Opioid Treatment Study" with experts on the field of addiction to prescription medications, identify a "core group" of CTN members who will continue to move this project forward, determination of CTP selection criteria, and establishing the process for external review. As a result of the meeting, a "core group" of CTN researchers has been charged with the mission of developing the study; a timeline for protocol development was established. An initial protocol draft has been completed. Subsequent telephone conference calls with the "core group" will take place on a weekly basis with the purpose of moving the project forward.

The CTN Genetics Special Interest Group held a workshop on September 26, 2004 before the NIDA Blending Meeting in Detroit. The meeting addressed the following: Can genes predict who does well and who doesn't in clinical trials? How are genetics studies done? What will they look like in the CTN? Will they help us understand addiction? Will they point to new treatments? Will they change the stigma against our patients/clients? What will CTPs do in genetics studies? How will CTPs be involved in decision-making?

Several CTN researchers and community treatment providers presented at the Addiction Health Services Research Conference October 6-8, 2004, in Philadelphia, PA. The aim of this symposium was to acquaint participants with the Clinical Trials Network (CTN), provide examples of health services research within the CTN, and stimulate interest in additional opportunities for health services research with the CTN.

Dr. Timothy Condon, Deputy Director, NIDA, presented "Methamphetamine: The Science of Addiction" at the National Conference of State Legislatures National Health Conference in Savannah, Georgia on December 9, 2004.

Dr. Timothy Condon presented "Research Advances in Neuroscience" at the NIDA 30th Anniversary Symposium, Society for Neuroscience in San Diego, California on October 22, 2004.

Dr. Timothy Condon presented "Addiction as a Brain Disease: Blending Research & Practice" at the TASC Leadership Learning Conference in St. Charles, Illinois on October 20, 2004.

Dr. Timothy Condon presented "Research to Practice: Using Evidence-Based Methods in Community Treatment and Drug Court Settings" at the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence 20th Anniversary National Conference in Orlando, Florida on October 19, 2004.

Dr. Timothy Condon presented "Substance Abuse in the Elderly--an Overview" at a conference entitled Drug Abuse in the 21st Century--What Problems Lie Ahead for the Baby Boomers? in Bethesda, Maryland on September 16, 2004.

Dr. Timothy Condon briefed Senate staff on "Methamphetamine and Marijuana: Abuse and Addiction" in Washington, D.C. on August 13, 2004.

Drs. Timothy Condon, Cindy Miner, and Denise Pintello, OSPC, presented a poster entitled, "Assessing NIDA's Public Health Information Publications: Methods and Preliminary Findings from a Study Targeting Public Health Officials and Policymakers" at the American Public Health Association in Washington, D.C. on November 9, 2004.

Dr. Cindy Miner, Deputy Director, OSPC, moderated a session at the Frontiers in Science: Drug Addiction-From Basic Research to Therapies Conference in Bethesda, MD on September 9, 2004.

Dr. Cindy Miner, Deputy Director, OSPC, chaired a Grantwriting Workshop at the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Conference in Washington, D.C. on October 21, 2004.

Dr. Betty Tai, Director, CCTN, presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse (AMERSA) November 11-13, 2004 in Washington, D.C. Dr. Tai presented on "NIDA CTN 5 Years Later: Lessons Learned".

Dr. Lula Beatty, Chief, Special Populations Office, attended the meeting of the Committee on the Psychology of Women, American Psychological Association, October 1, 2004 in Crystal City, VA.

Dr. Lula Beatty participated in the Special Population's Office research development technical assistance workshops held November 18-19, 2004 in Bethesda, MD.

Dr. Lula Beatty chaired the meeting entitled "HIV and Criminal Justice Involvement in African Americans as a Consequence of Drug Abuse" on October 12-13, 2004 in Bethesda, MD.

Dr. Lula Beatty held a round table at the American Public Health Association's meeting on November 8, 2004 in Washington, DC.

Ana Anders, Senior Advisor on Special Populations, participated in the planning of the Latino Behavioral Health Institute conference held in Los Angeles on September 21-24, 2004.

Ana Anders participated in the annual conference of the National Hispanic Science Network on October 11-14, 2004 in San Antonio, TX.

Ana Anders participated as a member of the CSAP Hispanic/Latino Expert Panel meeting on January 12 -13, 2005 in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Joseph Frascella, Director, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Deveopment and Behavioral Treatment (DCNDBT), participated in the National Hispanic Science Network annual meeting and co-chaired and presented in the Grant-Writing Workshop within the meeting held in San Antonio, Texas October 12-15, 2004.

Dr. Joseph Frascella attended the Society for Neuroscience meeting in San Diego, October 23-28th, 2004.

Dr. Joseph Frascella presented on the division's programs at the NIDA Research Development Seminar Series and gave a talk on the grant process, November 18-19, 2004 in Bethesda, Maryland.

Dr. Joseph Frascella attended the annual meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology and co-chaired a panel entitled "The Neurobiology of Obesity: Relations to Addiction", December 12-16, 2004 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Drs. Joseph Frascella and Steven Grant, DCNDBT, participated in a workshop entitled "Detection and Disclosure of Incidental Findings in Neuroimaging Research", co-sponsored by NIDA, NINDS, NIMH, NIBIB, NIA, NICHD and Stanford University that was held in Bethesda, Maryland on January 6 and 7, 2005.

Dr. Joseph Frascella presented on the division's programs at the Native American and Alaskan Native Researchers and Scholars Workgroup Meeting, January 24-25, 2005 in Bethesda, Maryland.

Dr. Steven Grant co-chaired the session on "Neuroeconomics" at the NIDA workshop on "Drug Abuse: A Workshop on Behavioral and Economic Research" held in Bethesda, MD on October 18-20, 2004. The speakers in the session were Drs. Hans Breiter, Massachusetts General Hospital, Kevin McCabe, George Mason University, Julie Stout, Indiana University, P. Read Montague, Baylor College of Medicine, Gregory Berns, Emory University, and Paul Glimcher, New York University.

Dr. Steven Grant co-chaired a symposium titled " Predictors of Treatment Response and Relapse: Neurobiological Markers" at the annual meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology in San Juan, Puerto Rico on December 12-16, 2004. The speakers were Drs. Steven Forman, University of Pittsburgh, Martin Paulus, University of California, San Diego, Linda Porrino, Wake Forest University, and Efrat Aharonovich, Columbia University.

Dr. Steven Grant co-chaired a study group with Dr. Celeste Napier of Loyola University titled "Is a Wider Brain Circuitry Needed To Account for Drug Abuse? Implications for Psychiatry of Addiction and Addiction Therapy" at the annual meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology held in San Juan, Puerto Rico on December 12-16, 2004. The speakers were Drs. Gary Aston-Jones, University of Pennsylvania, Christell Baunez, CNRS, Marseille, Phillip Winn, University St. Andrews, Celeste Napier, Loyola University, and Thomas Insel, NIMH.

Dr. Steven Grant participated in the trans-NIH Workshop on "PET and SPECT Imaging Consortium: Safety Assessment of Novel, High Specificity, Low Mass Radiotracers for Use in Research and Drug Discovery" held in Bethesda, MD on January 27, 2005. The meeting addressed ways to accelerate the development of PET and SPECT radiotracers for human imaging studies. The topics included current guidelines and practices for preclinical pharmacology, toxicity, and safety assessment, and preclinical dosimetry needed for RDRC approval or for an investigational IND to evaluate the in vivo characteristics of high specificity, low mass, PET and SPECT radiotracers in human studies.

Dr. Melissa W. Racioppo, DCNDBT, presented several workshops on grant-writing and behavioral treatment research at the annual meeting of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy in Atlanta, GA on September 9 - 11, 2004.

Dr. Nicolette Borek, DCNDBT, participated as a scientific staff collaborator in the Network Meeting of the Adolescent Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions in Washington, DC, October 20-22, 2004. The ATN is a collaborative network cosponsored by NICHD, NIDA, NIMH, and NIAAA.

Dr. Nicolette Borek, DCNDBT, presented a talk on NIDA's research priorities at the NIMH/NIDA Early Investigators Workshop during the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry annual meeting in Washington, DC, October 19-23, 2004.

Drs. Nicolette Borek and Larry Stanford, DCNDBT, represented NIDA's Behavioral Development program in DCNDBT at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in San Diego, October 23-28th, 2004.

Dr. Laurence Stanford served on the planning committee for a workshop entitled Detection and Disclosure of Incidental Findings in Neuroimaging Research, co-sponsored by NIDA, NINDS, NIMH, NIBIB, NIA, NICHD and Stanford University, held in Bethesda on January 6 and 7, 2005. Dr. Stanford also co-chaired the working group on Institutional Review Board issues attendant to incidental findings.

NIDA staff (Drs. Weiss and Vocci) gave presentations at Demand Treatment! Partners II Lessons Learned Institute in Chicago, Illinois on October 17-20, 2004. Dr. Weiss spoke on Addiction as a Brain Disease: Blending Research and Practice. Dr. Vocci, along with NIDA grantees Richard Rawson and Martin Doot, conducted a session on Buprenorphine, Physician Practice and Your Community.

Dr. Frank Vocci, Director, Division of Pharmacotherapies and Medical Consequences of Drug Abuse (DPMCDA), spoke on Progress in Addiction Treatment: Insights from the Clinic and the Laboratory Bench at the California Society of Addiction Medicine meeting in San Diego on October 8, 2004.

Dr. Frank Vocci spoke on the Implementation of Buprenorphine Therapy at the Join Together Meeting in Chicago, Illinois on October 18, 2004.

Dr. Ivan Montoya, DPMCDA, was a keynote speaker at the Best Practices conference in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He discussed the relationship between smoking and mental disorders, October 7-8, 2004.

Dr. Ivan Montoya participated in the National Hispanic Science Network on Drug Abuse and the Latino Mental Health meetings held in San Antonio Texas. October 11-16, 2004.

Dr. Cora Lee Wetherington, DBNBR and NIDA's Womens' Health Research Coordinator chaired the session entitled Substance Abuse at the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health meeting, Women's Health Interdisciplinary Research Symposium, October 4-5, 2004, in Bethesda, MD.

Dr. Cora Lee Wetherington chaired Session II: Interdisciplinary SCOR Presentation at the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health, Specialized Centers of Research on Sex and Gender Factors Affecting Women's Health: Center Directors Meeting, October 6, 2004, in Bethesda, MD.

On November 20, 2004, Dr. David Shurtleff, Director, DBNBR, was invited to and presented an overview of NIDA research opportunities at the annual 2004 meeting of the Society for Judgment and Decision Making in Minneapolis, MN.

On December 15, 2004, Drs. David Shurtleff and Glen Hanson presented a poster entitled NIDA's Division of Basic Neuroscience and Research: Overview of Current and Future Research Opportunities at the annual 2004 meeting of the America College of Neuropharmacology in San Juan, PR.

Dr. Joni Rutter, DBNBR, chaired NIDA Genetics Consortium Bi-Annual meeting, November 30-December 1, 2004.

Dr. Joni Rutter attended the American Society of Human Genetics, 54th Annual meeting, Toronto, Canada. October 26-30th, 2004.

Dr. Jonathan D. Pollock, DBNBR, with Dr. Solomon Snyder organized a panel, entitled, Glia and Astrocytes As Modulators of Synaptic Function " at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, San Juan, PR, December 13, 2004.

Dr. Jonathan D. Pollock, DBNBR, with Dr. George Uhl, IRP, organized a panel, entitled, "Molecular Genetics of Addiction Vulnerability and Treatment" at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, San Juan, PR, December 14, 2004.

Dr. Yonette Thomas, DESPR, was the featured speaker at the Third Program of the 71st Season of The District of Columbia Sociological Society, at the American Sociological Association in Washington, D.C. on November 17, 2004. The presentation was entitled "Social Epidemiology in Drug Abuse Research."

Drs. Arnold Mills, DESPR, Teri Levitin, OEA and Yvette Davis, CSR, conducted a research seminar for faculty from the University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Universities System, December 3, 2004. Mills' presentation focused on the research opportunities available at NIDA.

Dr. Arnold Mills, DESPR, participated in the "Research Development for the Career Scientist" seminar sponsored by the Special Populations Office, November 18-19, 2004. Mills reviewed and commented on concept papers submitted by participants and served as a resource for participants who wanted to learn more about research opportunities available through DESPR.

Dr. Arnold Mills, DESPR, chaired the DESPR-sponsored meeting "Drug Abuse Research in Rural Communities: Current Knowledge and Future Directions" at the North Bethesda Marriott on December 7-8, 2004. This meeting focused on advances in rural area research and recommendations for expanding NIDA's research program in this scientific area.

Dr. Peter Hartsock, DESPR, participated in the Senior Working Group on Health and Security of the Chemical and Biological Arms Control Institute (CBACI) in a special meeting on "HIV/AIDS and Global Peacekeeping Operations," September 21, 2004, Washington, D.C. The meeting was led by Dr. Ulf Kristoffersson, Director of the UNAIDS Office on AIDS, Security, and Humanitarian Response, and Dr. Kenneth Schor, U.S. Public Health Service Director for Humanitarian Assistance, Disaster Response, and International Health Policy.

Dr. Peter Hartsock, DESPR, participated in the Senior Working Group on Health and Security of the Chemical and Biological Arms Control Institute (CBACI) in a special meeting on "Health as a Diplomatic Tool," September 28, 2004, Washington, D.C. The meeting was led by Dr. Margaret Hamburg, former Health Commissioner for New York City and current Vice President of Biological Programs, Nuclear Threat Initiative.

Dr. Peter Hartsock, DESPR, participated in the Senior Working Group on Health and Security of the Chemical and Biological Arms Control Institute (CBACI) in a special meeting on the "Current and Future Potential Impact of HIV/AIDS Orphans on Global Security," October 29, 2004. The meeting was led by Dr. Anne Peterson, the Assistant Administrator for the Bureau of Global Affairs at USAID.

Dr. Peter Hartsock, DESPR, delivered the Woodrow Wilson Lecture on the "Health and Demography of Russia," at the Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies, Woodrow International Center for Scholars, October 6, 2004, Washington, D.C.

Dr. Peter Hartsock, DESPR, participated in a meeting, sponsored by HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson, honoring the 45th meeting of the Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization, September 29, 2004, Washington, D.C.

Dr. Peter Hartsock, DESPR, organized and conducted a trip by Surgeon General Richard Carmona to Galveston, Texas, November 3-4, 2004. Part of the trip was to meet with the dean and faculty of the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston. This is the University's oldest medical school and health science center. Discussions dealt with federal/academic cooperation in research that is essential to the security of the U.S. A second part of the trip was for Dr. Carmona to deliver the keynote address at the National Board Meeting of the U.S. Lifesaving Association (USLA), the meeting coinciding with the 40th Anniversary of the founding of the USLA. In his address, the Surgeon General emphasized physical fitness, especially among youth.

Dr. Peter Hartsock, DESPR, participated in an HIV/AIDS Forum hosted by the Chair of China Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, November 17, 2004, Washington, D.C. The forum dealt with health planning and the role of civil society and foreign organizations involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS in China.

Dr. Peter Hartsock, DESPR, participated in a meeting on "The Next Agenda: AIDS and the Way Forward," Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, November 30, 2004, Washington, D.C. The meeting was chaired by Peter Piot, Executive Director, UNAIDS and Randall Tobias, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator.

Dr. Peter Hartsock, DESPR, participated in a meeting on "Eurasia's HIV Security Challenge: Presenting a Collaborative Research Strategy", U.S. Capitol Building, December 1, 2004. The meeting was sponsored by Women in International Security (WIIS) and the U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation for the former Soviet Union (CRDF).

Drs. Kevin P. Conway, DESPR, William Corrigall, and Frank Vocci, DPMCDA, held a meeting on Tobacco Dependence: Measurement and Characterization on November 9-10, 2004, in Bethesda, MD.

Dr. Kevin P. Conway, DESPR, participated in the NIJ workshop entitled "What Have We Learned from Recent Longitudinal Studies of Crime and Delinquency." The workshop was held on October 18-19, 2004, in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Kevin P. Conway, DESPR, presented a paper at the American Society of Criminology, in Nashville, TN, on November 19, 2004. The paper was entitled "Co-offending Networks in Philadelphia."

Dr. Elizabeth Lambert, DESPR and Jacques Normand, OD, met with Dr. Richard Rothenberg, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, on October 26, 2004 in Atlanta, Georgia. The meeting served to welcome Dr. Rothenberg as the new Chair of the Steering Committee on the Cooperative Agreement on Sexual Acquisition and Transmission of HIV (SATHCAP) and to review the entire SATHCAP program. They were joined by the Principal Investigator and Co-investigator of the SATHCAP Coordinating Center, Dr. Martin Iguchi and Ms. Sandy Berry of RAND.

Moira O'Brien, DESPR, chaired the 8th Border Epidemiology Work Group Meeting (BEWG), September 16-17, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and gave a presentation on, "Methamphetamine Abuse in the United States: Findings from the Community Epidemiology Work Group." Participants included representatives from the Mexican Ministry of Health, Border areas in 5 Mexican States and in 4 U.S. States, the Hispanic Science Network, National Institute of Justice and Drug Enforcement Administration. The most recent available data on patterns and trends in drug abuse in border areas were presented with an emphasis on methamphetamine abuse. Indicator data show that methamphetamine abuse continues at high levels in western border areas near the Pacific Ocean and that abuse of the drug is increasing in central and western border areas. Methamphetamine abuse indicators remain at low levels in eastern areas along the Texas-Mexico border, but show some signs of increasing.

Moira O'Brien, DESPR, co-chaired the New Mexico State Epidemiology Work Group held September 14-15, 2004, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The meeting was held in collaboration with the New Mexico Department of Health, Office of Epidemiology.

Dr. Beverly Pringle, Services Research Branch, DESPR, presented a paper as part of a symposium on Health Services Research in NIDA's Clinical Trials Network at the annual Addictions Health Services Research Conference, Philadelphia, PA, October 7, 2004.

Dr. William Cartwright, Services Research Branch, DESPR, co-chaired a session on behavioral economics with DBNBR at the meeting, Drug Abuse: Workshop on Behavioral and Economic Research, Bethesda, October 18-20, 2004. Dr. Dionne Jones, Services Research Branch, DESPR, served as faculty advisor to potential grantees participating in the NIDA Research Development Seminar Series, Hyatt Regency, Bethesda, MD, November 18-19, 2004.

Dr. Dionne Jones facilitated a Round Table Discussion on Funding Opportunities at NIDA/NIH at the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, Convention Center, Washington, DC, November 7-10, 2004.

Dr. Dionne Jones was part of the planning committee that organized a 2-day meeting for NIDA's African American Initiative, "Reducing HIV and Criminal Justice Involvement in African Americans as a Consequence of Drug Abuse," and she moderated a panel on "Treatment and Services," at the Residence Inn by Marriott, Bethesda, MD, October 12-13, 2004.

Dr. Dionne Jones represented NIDA/DESPR/SRB at the Addiction Health Services Research Conference, Downtown Club, Philadelphia, PA, October 6-8, 2004.

Dr. Dionne Jones made a presentation on "Identifying Risk Behaviors for HIV/AIDS Among African Americans." for the Henry Cornwell Distinguished Scholar Lecture Series at Lincoln University, Lincoln, PA, September 21, 2004.

Dr. Tom Hilton, Service Research Branch, DESPR, addressed the Society for Occupational Health Psychology steering committee at their October 22, 2004 meeting at the American Psychological Association in Washington, DC, regarding NIDA research support opportunities.

Dr. Ning-sheng Cai, IRP, presented "Serial Analysis of Gene Expression in the Rat Striatum following Acute Methamphetamine Administration" at SAGE 2004 conference at Boston on October 2, 2004.

Dr. Ron Herning, IRP, presented a poster entitled "EEG of MDMA Abusers during Abstinence" at the 6th Annual Meeting of the EEG and Clinical Neuroscience Society in Irive California on September 29-October 2, 2004.

Dr. Ron Herning gave a talk entitled "Neuropsychiatric Alterations in MDMA Abusers" at the Seventh International Conference on Neuroprotective Agents in Aisilomar, California on November 14-19, 2004.

Dr. Yihong Yang in the Neuroimaging Branch, IRP, attended the Frontiers of Biomedical Imaging Symposium - The MRI Nobel Celebration and Future Directions, November 8-10, 2004 in Urbana-Champaign, IL. He was invited to speak in the Banquet and MRI Nobel Celebration as a former student of Dr. Paul Lauterbur, the winner of Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology 2003.

Dr. Marilyn Huestis, IRP, attended a NIDA Science, Policy and Communications Division meeting of the state of the science supporting driving under the influence of drugs. It was determined that NIDA would consider supporting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration initiative to collect information and biological specimens from drivers to determine the extent of the drugged driving problem and the relationship between drug concentrations in biological specimens and impaired driving.

Dr. Marilyn Huestis presented the "Effects of Cannabis on Performance" at Indiana University to an international audience of toxicologists, attorneys, and criminal justice personnel.

Dr. Marilyn Huestis presented a seminar to the Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmaceutics departments of the University of Illinois. Her presentation was on the antagonism of smoked cannabis effects by oral rimonabant, a CB1 cannabinoid receptor antagonism.

Dr. Eric Moolchan, IRP, gave a talk on "Addressing Health Disparities Throughout the Cycle of Tobacco Addiction" at the University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX on October 18, 2004.

Dr. Eric Moolchan presented Pediatrics Rounds on "Treating Adolescent Tobacco Addiction" at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in October 2004.