Meetings/Conferences

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) convened a two-day Blending Conference at the Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati, Ohio on June 2-3, 2008 titled: "Blending Addiction Science and Treatment: The Impact of Evidence-Based Practices on Individuals, Families and Communities." In this seventh NIDA Blending Conference, the successful and unique two-day event provided an opportunity for over 1,100 clinicians and researchers to collectively examine cutting edge approaches for treating and preventing drug abuse and addiction. Plenary presenters included Nora Volkow, M.D., Kathleen Brady, M.D., Ph.D., Dennis Daley, Ph.D. and Deni Carise, Ph.D. Session topics ranged from the latest findings on the role of genetics, experimental vaccines and the Blending Team products addressing motivational interviewing, buprenorphine, and motivational incentives. The NIDA planning committee of this conference included Drs. Timothy P. Condon, Cindy Miner and Denise Pintello. Nearly 75% of the participants completing the evaluation reported that they were planning to make changes in their treatment/practice based on the information presented at the NIDA Blending Conference.

NIDA, in collaboration with the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), and the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD) held a meeting "Enhancing Services Using Addiction Treatment and Prevention Research" on June 8, 2008, in Montgomery, Alabama. NIDA's Deputy Director, Dr. Timothy P. Condon, presented NIDA's most recent science advances regarding addiction research; Dr. Frank Vocci, DPMCDA Director, provided an overview of the development of medications for assisted treatment; Dr. Elizabeth Robertson, DESPR, presented prevention research; and the members from the adolescent buprenorphine treatment Blending Team discussed CTN protocol results.

NIDA sponsored a Mentored-K Awardee Meeting on July 24-25, 2008, at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. The goal was to help new scientists in their transition to independence. Participants had the opportunity to hear from the NIDA Director about research highlights and priorities and to interact with Division Directors, Program, Review, and Grants Management staff. They also had the benefit of practical advice and presentations from former K-awardees, and senior researchers on topics ranging from grant writing to negotiating with your institution to team science. The meeting was organized by Drs. Mimi Ghim, Diane Lawrence, Eliane Lazar-Wesley, Aria Crump, Susan Weiss, Ms. Anna Staton and Ms. Usha Charya on behalf of the Research Training Committee.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse organized a program at this year's American Psychological Association (APA) Annual Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, August 14-17, 2008. A number of NIDA staff presented on a wide range of session topics, such as: Do Drugs of Abuse Produce Cognitive Rigidity?; Potential of Universal Childhood Prevention to Reduce Later Criminal Behavior; and Biological Basis of Sex Differences in Drug Abuse: A Translational Perspective. NIDA also co-sponsored an Early Career Investigator Poster Session with APA's Divisions 28 and 50 and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) as part of the two Divisions' Social Hour.

Dr. Augusto Diana, DESPR, Dr. Marsha Lopez, DESPR, and Dr. Aleta Meyer, DESPR, convened a two-day science meeting titled "Can Physical Activity and Exercise Prevent Substance Use? Promoting a Full Range of Science to Inform Prevention" on June 5-6, 2008, in Bethesda, MD. The goal of the meeting was to promote examination of the potential role of physical activity in substance use prevention. For the purposes of this meeting, physical activity was conceptualized broadly across types (e.g., sports, exercise, dance, martial arts, outdoor adventure) and across development (e.g., open-ended free play in early childhood, physical education and sports team participation during school years, healthy leisure activities in adulthood). Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of NIDA, and Dr. Wilson Compton, Director of DESPR, welcomed the meeting participants and gave opening remarks. Expert panels presented a full range of potential neurobiological, developmental, social, and environmental processes associated with physical activity and the onset and progression of drug use. Staff from other Divisions within NIDA, the National Cancer Institute, and USDA, contributed as panel moderators: Dr. Karen Sirocco (DCNBR), Dr. Minda Lynch (DBNBR), Dr. Frank Perna (NCI), Dr. Audie Autienza (NCI), and Dr. Shirley Gerrior (USDA).

A CCTN-DCNBR joint workshop was held May 20, 2008. The title of the workshop was "Pain, Stress and Healthier Life Choices with an Eastern Approach." Drs. Lixing Lao and Kevin Chen (University of Maryland School of Medicine) discussed how acupuncture and/or meditation are useful in 1) coping with pain or stress; 2) a choice for healthier lifestyles; and 3) managing addiction. They also discussed the concerns and challenges in experimental design and project implementation and how evidence-based studies can be carried out.

Drs. Mary Kautz, of DCNBR, and Allison Chausmer Hoffman, of DBNBR, organized a symposium titled "Virtual Reality and Drug Cue Reactivity" that was held on July 16, 2008 at the Neuroscience Center, Rockville, MD. The meeting was sponsored by the Translationally Oriented Approaches, Devices and Strategies (TOADS) Workgroup and the Nicotine/Tobacco Interest Group. A major purpose was to take a translational approach to basic human research on virtual reality and smoking cues, and explain how this emerging technology may be used as a new, innovative tool exploring nicotine addiction, cue reactivity, and potential research and treatment applications. The speakers were Drs. Patrick Bordnick (University of Houston), Mark Wiederhold (Virtual Reality Medical Center), and Michael Saladin (Medical University of South Carolina).

The National CTN Steering Committee Meetings were held June 3-6, 2008 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The following meetings/committees convened:

CTP and PI Caucuses
Steering Committee
Executive Committee
Research Utilization Committee
Research Development Committee
Node Coordinator Workgroup
CTN 0027 - START Study Team
CTN 0031 - STAGE-12 Study Team
CTN 0033 - Meth Use among American Indians Study Team
Marinol Concept Group
Pharmacotherapy Special Interest Group

Two workshops were held during the CTN Steering Committee Meetings:

Publishing Workshop Practitioners and principal investigators joined together in Cincinnati during the CTN Steering Committee meeting to promote the involvement of more people in publishing opportunities. The workshop titled "Share Your Knowledge by Publishing and Presenting" was sponsored by the CTN Publications Committee and organized by Steven Sparenborg of the CCTN. Speakers were Greg Brigham, Steering Committee Co-Chair and Principal Investigator at Maryhaven, Inc. of Columbus, Ohio; Susan Gordon, Research Director at Seabrook House in Seabrook, New Jersey; and Louise Haynes, Director of Research at the Lexington/Richland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council in Columbia, South Carolina; and Steven Sparenborg Program Officer, Psycho-Pharmacology Team, CCTN. Principal Investigators were urged to invite the participation of staff and practitioners in the publishing process.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Substance Use Disorders (SUD) Workshop Some soldiers returning from combat duty in Iraq and Afghanistan show signs and symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and many research and treatment resources in the country are increasing their level of research on this condition in order to better serve our veterans. A substantial proportion of veterans with PTSD also have comorbid substance use disorders. CTN Node PI Kathleen Brady, M.D., Ph.D. and Co-PI Andrew Saxon, M.D. have treated subjects with PTSD who are comorbidly dependent on cocaine, alcohol, or nicotine and presented results of their research with these subjects at the Clinical Trials Network Steering Committee meeting on June 4, 2008 in Cincinnati, Ohio. They educated the CTN on the gravity of the situation among veterans and the paucity of effective treatments for PTSD. Dr. Saxon's research focused on the integration of evidence-based smoking cessation treatments into ongoing mental health care for PTSD patients in a Veterans Health Clinic and was published in 2007. Dr. Brady studied a small sample of PTSD subjects (mostly females who had been sexually assaulted) who were dependent on cocaine. She found that a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy for cocaine use and exposure therapy for PTSD significantly reduced symptoms of both disorders during treatment and at a follow-up visit. In a different sample, she found that the use of the SSRI sertraline improved PTSD symptoms in nearly all treated subjects and improved drinking outcomes in subjects with early onset PTSD and later onset alcoholism.

NIDA's Special Populations Office (SPO), NIDA convened the NIDA Research Development Diversity Programs Meeting on May 19-20, 2008 in Silver Spring, Maryland. The meeting's key priorities were to discuss and assess funding programs coordinated through the SPO including: Diversity Supplements, Minority Institutions Drug Abuse Research Program (MIDARP) and Summer Research with NIDA. PIs and former trainees/recipients presented on their experiences and provided viable feedback. Additionally, an array of NIDA staff provided information on funding and career development activities and the grant application and review process.

The Special Populations Office (SPO) and the African American Researchers and Scholars Workgroup (AARSWG) convened a one day "Mini Medical School on Addiction" at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia on July 21, 2008 for health care professionals, researchers, and members of the community interested in understanding the needs of substance abusers and addiction in the African American community. Scientists and physicians lectured on topics that covered the process of addiction, psychopharmacology, addiction treatment and services, issues arising from substance abuse and its research implications, HIV/AIDS and other related co-morbidities. The AARSWG presented an award of exemplary leadership to Dr. Lula Beatty, Chief, Special Populations Office, NIDA.

Lula Beatty, Ph.D. and staff of the Special Populations Office assisted the African American Researchers and Scholars Workgroup (AARSWG) with the development and coordination of the first Addiction Research Training Institute (ARTI), which was held on July 22-25, 2008 at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. The ARTI was designed to train early/new investigators to become funded researchers in the area of substance abuse and addiction in African Americans. The trainees included twenty post-doctoral fellows and junior faculty members from several academic institutions. Training sessions included presentations on an array of current research findings and opportunities, grant writing and publication workshop, and a mentored critique of the trainees' research proposals.

The Special Populations Office supported the Native American /Alaska Native Researchers and Scholars Workgroup (NAANRSWG) first "Native to Native Mentoring Program," developed to increase the number of Native Americans and Alaska Natives pursuing research careers and in the field of substance abuse and addiction. The meeting was an adjunct to the annual Association of American Indian Physicians (AAIP) meeting held in Couer d' Alene, Idaho on July 24 - 29, 2008. Wilson Compton, M.D., Director of DESPR, provided a presentation titled, "Drug Addiction: A Biobehavioral Disorder". Kathy Etz, Ph.D. (DESPR) also attended this meeting and met with the NAANRSWG and their mentees to discuss research opportunities and future activities that will be supported by NIDA.

NIDA's Women & Sex/Gender Differences Program awarded 27 Women & Gender Junior Investigator Travel Awards for the annual meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD), June 15-21, 2007, Quebec City, Canada. These $750 awards provide travel support to first author junior investigators who make presentations on the topic of women and/or sex/gender differences. These travel awards have been made annually beginning in 1999, and are designed to promote entry of junior investigators into drug abuse research on women and sex/gender differences. A brochure listing all the awardees since 1999 was made available at CPDD. To further promote research in this field, NIDA published a mini-program book, Focus on Women & Sex/Gender Differences, for the CPDD meeting. Excerpted from the CPPD program book, it contains only those program listings related to women and sex/gender differences. It also contains the CPDD abstracts on women and sex/gender differences, information about the Women & Gender Junior Investigator Travel Awardees presentations, announcement of the travel award program for CPDD 2009, and information on current NIDA funding opportunity announcements in this area. These efforts were led by Dr. Cora Lee Wetherington and Dr. Samia Noursi who were assisted by Dr. Lynda Erinoff and Dr. Joe Frascella.

The American Psychological Association (APA) held its annual convention in Boston, Massachusetts, from August 14-17, 2008. Drs. Harold Perl and Teri Levitin taught their annual half-day course on NIH program issues and preparing grant applications "Inside the Black Box at NIH [NIDA & NIAAA]: Grant Writing Tips They Didn't Teach You in Graduate School" as a pre-conference workshop on August 13, 2008. Dr. Harold Perl also gave the talk entitled, "Implementation Science: Transforming Evidence Into Real-World Practice" as part of the symposium "Evidence Based Practice: Cutting Edge Issues", at the APA on Saturday August 16, 2008. As in previous years, NIDA (in collaboration with NIAAA) and APA Divisions 50 (Addictions) and 28 (Psychopharmacology and Substance Abuse) organized a Poster Session/Social Hour focusing on Early Career Investigators, on August 14, 2008.

Dr. Timothy P. Condon, Deputy Director, NIDA, presented "A Recovery Research Agenda: Where We Are and Where We Want to Go" at the Northeast Addiction Technology Transfer Center Recovery symposium: "Aligning Concepts, Aligning Practice, Aligning Contexts - Building a Blueprint for Recovery," on May 2, 2008, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Timothy P. Condon chaired a session titled "Emerging Trends in Drug Abuse: Monitoring to Stay Ahead of the Curve" at the "Advancing Psychiatric Practice Through the Science of Addition: A Research Track from the National Institute on Drug Abuse" during the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Annual Meeting on May 7, 2008, in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Timothy P. Condon presented the keynote address, "Advances in Drug Abuse and Addiction from NIDA: Implications for Treatment" at the 2008 Chief Resident Immersion Training (CRIT) Program, "Addiction Medicine: Improving Clinical and Teaching Skills for Generalists" on May 19, 2008, in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Dr. Timothy P. Condon presented "Using the Science of Addiction to Improve Treatment Outcomes in Criminal Justice Populations" at the National Association of Drug Court Professionals 14th Annual Training Conference, on May 29, 2008, in St. Louis, Missouri.

Dr. Timothy P. Condon gave the plenary address entitled "Research and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Substance Abuse Treatment" at the National Asian Pacific American Families Against Substance Abuse National Conference, on June 6, 2008, in Los Angeles, California.

Dr. Timothy P. Condon presented a NIDA Research Update at the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors 2008 Annual Conference, "Enhancing Services Using Addiction Treatment and Prevention Research," on June 8, 2008, in Montgomery, Alabama.

Dr. Timothy P. Condon presented "NIDA Progress, Priorities & Plans for the Future" at the 2008 NIDA International Forum: Globally Improving and Applying Evidence-Based Interventions for Addictions, on June 14, 2008, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Dr. Timothy P. Condon presented "Using the NIH Roadmap and NIDA Funding Opportunities to Advance Drug Abuse Research" at the College On Problems Of Drug Dependence Annual Meeting, on June 15, 2008, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Dr. Timothy P. Condon presented "Principles of Drug Abuse Treatment for Criminal Justice Populations" at the National Committee on Community Corrections, on June 20, 2008, in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Timothy P. Condon presented "NIDA's Blending Research and Practice Initiative" at the 2008 State Associations of Addiction Services (SAAS) National Conference & Network for the Improvement of Addiction Treatment (NIATx) Summit, on June 23, 2008, in Orlando, Florida.

Dr. Timothy P. Condon presented "Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction Through Research" at the US-Mexico 7th Bi-National Drug Demand Reduction Conference: Unifying Efforts Toward best Practices, on July 23, 2008, in Monterrey, Mexico.

Dr. Cindy Miner, Deputy Director, OSPC participated as a Judge at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair held May 12-16, 2008, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Dr. Cindy Miner presented "Neurobiology of Addiction: Principles for Treatment and Prevention" and also participated in a Policy Panel entitled "What Works" at the Idaho Conference on Alcohol and Drug Dependency on May 19, 2008, in Boise, Idaho.

Dr. Cindy Miner presented "Understanding the Neurobiology of Addiction and Co-Morbid Mental Illness at the NAMI New Jersey 2008 Annual Conference on June 8, 2008, in Jamesburg, New Jersey.

Dr. Cindy Miner presented an update on "NIDA Initiatives and Research Training" at the AACAP NIDA K12 Annual Retreat on June 12, 2008, in Miami Beach, Florida.

Dr. Cindy Miner participated in a Grantwriting Workshop at the CPDD 70th Annual Scientific Meeting on June 17, 2008, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Dr. Cindy Miner presented "Neurobiology of Addiction: Principles for Treatment and Prevention at the NAADAC, KAAP and NALGAP 2008 Annual Conference on August 28, 2008, in Overland Park, Kansas.

Dr. Gayathri J. Dowling, OSPC, presented "Substance Abuse among Older Adults - An Overview" at the Conference on Substance Abuse and Older Adults on June 19, 2008 in State College, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Gayathri J. Dowling presented "Careers at the NIH: How did I get here?" at the University of California Washington Center on July 15, 2008, in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Ruben Baler, OSPC, presented "How can science help us navigate around the dangers of abuse and addiction?" at the 2008 mid-year CADCA Training Institute (Youth Leadership Forum) on July 28-31, 2008, in Palm Spring, California.

Brian Marquis presented a NIDA Goes Back to School workshop at the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) National Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, on June 24, 2008. SADD promotes programming that includes targeting all forms of drug use. SADD has grown to become the nation's dominant peer-to-peer youth prevention organization with thousands of chapters in middle schools, high schools and colleges.

Dr. Da-Yu Wu, DBNBR, helped organized the NIH symposium "Challenges and Promise of Cell-Based Therapies" held May 6, 2008.

Dr. Christine Colvis, DBNBR, attended the Molecular Libraries Screening Centers Network Steering Committee Meeting in Nashville, TN May 12-14, 2008.

Dr. Da-Yu Wu helped organize the NIH workshop "Transforming Regenerative Medicine: An Interdisciplinary Approach", May 19-20, 2008.

Drs. Da-Yu Wu and Susan Volman, DBNBR, organized the NIDA Neuroscience Consortium Cutting Edge seminar on "Zebrafish Modeling of in vivo Gene Detection, Manipulation and Regulation in Drug Addiction", August 14, 2008.

Drs. Timothy P. Condon, NIDA Deputy Director and David Shurtleff, Director, DBNBR, co-organized and co-chaired a symposium entitled "A Roadmap to NIH and NIDA Funding Opportunities and Research Resources" at the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, June, 15, 2008. San Juan, Puerto Rico. Drs. Joni Rutter, Jonathan Pollock, Minda Lynch and Betty Tai presented current state of NIH Roadmap and Trans-NIH initiatives that are of interest to the drug abuse research community.

Dr. Joni Rutter, DBNBR, presented a talk entitled "Genetic Resources and Initiatives at NIH and NIDA "at the 70th Annual CPDD Scientific Meeting, June 14-19, Puerto Rico.

Dr. Jonathan Pollock presented a talk entitled "Mouse Resources: Taking Advantage of the NIH KOMP GENSAT and Collaborative Cross Projects for Drug Abuse Research" at the 70th Annual CPDD Scientific Meeting, June 14-19, Puerto Rico.

Dr. Minda Lynch, DBNBR, presented a talk entitled "An Update on the Approved Behavioral Change" at the 70th Annual CPDD Scientific Meeting, June 14-19, Puerto Rico.

Drs. Paul Schnur and David Shurtleff, DBNBR, co-organized and co-chaired a symposium entitled; "Understanding Extinction Learning and Its Translation to Drug Addiction" at the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, June, 16, 2008, San Juan Puerto Rico.

Dr. David Shurtleff, Director, DBNBR, gave a presentation at the NIDA/CPDD Grant-Writing Workshop entitled: "Research Funding Opportunities: The Role of NIDA Program" June 17, 2008 San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Drs. Joni Rutter and Ivan Montoya, DPMCDA, co-chaired symposium entitled "Pharmacogenetics of Medications for the Treatment of Addictions" at the 70th Annual CPDD Scientific Meeting, June 14-19, 2008, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Dr. Christine Colvis, DBNBR, participated in a site visit of the Broad Institute for the Molecular Libraries Probe Production Centers Network in Boston, MA on June 13, 2008.

Dr. Christine Colvis participated in a site visit of Boston University for the Molecular Libraries Probe Production Centers Network in Boston, MA June 16, 2008.

Drs. Christine Colvis and David Shurtleff co-chaired and Dr. Colvis gave a presentation at an International Narcotics Research Conference workshop on the NIH Molecular Libraries Program in Charleston, SC on July 16, 2008.

Dr. Christine Colvis served as a reviewer for an NIDDK collaborative bridging project in their Nuclear Receptor Signaling Atlas program.

Dr. Jonathan Pollock, DBNBR, attended the KOMP Research Network Y2 Review, May 12, Rockville, MD.

Dr. Jonathan Pollock participated in the International Knockout Mouse Consortium meeting held May 13, 2008 in Toronto, Canada.

Dr. Jonathan Pollock participated in the Mouse Phenotyping Workshop at the Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME on July 29, 2008.

Dr. John Satterlee, DBNBR, attended "Epigenetics of Aging and Age-related Diseases" July 15-16, 2008 Bethesda, MD.

Dr. John Satterlee attended "Computing the Future: Systems Biology and the NIH" June 26, 2008, Bethesda, MD.

Dr. David Thomas, DBNBR, was a conference organizer and made the closing remarks at The NIH Pain Consortium 3rd Annual Symposium on Advances in Pain Research, May 22, 2008, Bethesda, MD.

Dr. David Thomas was a session chair and conference organizer of the symposium: Mechanisms and Management of Pain in the Elderly, June 31-July 1, 2008, Bethesda, MD.

Dr. David Thomas was a co-chair of a workshop titled: Bridging Basic Pain Research, Conventional Pain Treatments and VR Pain Treatments, at the 13th Annual Cybertherapy meeting, June 22, 2008, San Diego CA.

Dr. David Thomas was a co-chair of a symposium titled: Pain Research, at the 13th Annual Cybertherapy meeting, June 24, 2008, San Diego CA.

Drs. Cora Lee Wetherington, DBNBR, and Jill Becker (University of Michigan) co-organized the symposium, "Sex Differences in the Causes and Consequences of Drug Abuse," for the second annual meeting of the Organization for the Study of Sex Differences, June 4-7, 2008, New Orleans, LA. Dr. Wetherington co-chaired the symposium with Ellen Witt (NIAAA) who made opening remarks. Speakers: Linda Spear (SUNY-Binghamton), Marc Kaufman (Harvard Medical School), Amy Wisniewski (University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center), and Jill Becker (University of Michigan). Dr. Wetherington served as the symposium discussant.

Dr. Cora Lee Wetherington led the Q&A breakout session on women and sex/differences research at NIDA's Mentored K Awardees Meeting: Making the Transition to Independence, July 24-25, 2008, Bethesda, MD.

Drs. Cora Lee Wetherington and Wendy Lynch (University of Virginia) co-organized and co-chaired the symposium, "Biological Basis of Sex Differences in Drug Abuse: A Translational Perspective," at the annual American Psychological Association meeting, August 14-17, 2008, Boston, MA. Speakers: Marilyn Carroll, Ph.D. (University of Minnesota), Aimee McRae (Medical University of South Carolina), Marc Potenza (Yale University School of Medicine), Larry Cahill (UC Irvine).

Drs. Minda Lynch and Steve Grant, DCNBR, chaired a symposium at the annual American Psychological Association Meeting in Boston, MA (August, 2008) entitled "Do Drugs of Abuse Produce Cognitive Rigidity?" with presentations by David Q. Beversdorf, M.D.: Diminished Cognitive Flexibility During Cocaine- A Noradrenergically-mediated Shift in Addiction; Hans C. Breiter, M.D.: Choice Behavior in Cocaine Abusers is More 'Lawful' than Non-abusing Controls - Paradoxical Loss of Variability in Response to Emotional Stimuli.; Martin P. Paulus, M.D.: Rigid Cognitive Strategies in Methamphetamine Abusers as a Consequence of Failure to Recruit Frontal Regions Mediating Behavioral Flexibility; and Geoffrey Schoenbaum, M.D., Ph.D.: Amygdaloidal Control of Behavioral Inflexibility in Reward Responding - Animal Models of Chronic Cocaine and Shifts in Stimulus-reward Learning.

Dr. Allison Chausmer Hoffman, DBNBR, organized a Cutting Edge seminar on "Nicotine and Neuroplasticity" on May 28, 2008. This event was sponsored by the Neuroscience Consortium.

Dr. Allison Chausmer Hoffman organized a special tour of the National Museum of Health and Medicine, May 29, 2008.

Dr. Allison Chausmer Hoffman organized a seminar by Douglas Tipperman of SAMHSA on "Tobacco and the Media" on July 15, 2008. This event was hosted by the NIDA Nicotine/Tobacco Interest Group.

Dr. Allison Chausmer Hoffman and Dr. Mary Kautz, DCNBR, co-organized a symposium on Virtual Reality and Drug Cue Reactivity on July 16, 2008. This event was jointly hosted by the Translationally Oriented Approaches, Devices and Strategies (TOADS) Workgroup and the NIDA Nicotine/Tobacco Interest Group.

Drs. Samia Noursi and Cora Lee Wetherington, Women and Sex/Gender Differences Research Program, presented a poster at NIDA's International Forum at the College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD), June 14-19, 2008 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The poster described NIDA's Women and Sex/Gender Differences Research Program and presented analyses of the posters focused on women and sex/gender differences, presented in 2006 and 2007 CPDD International Forums.

Dr. Joe Frascella, Director, DCNBR, participated in a symposium at the CPDD annual meeting entitled "Of Vice and Men: Shared Brain Vulnerabilities for Drug and Non-drug (Food, Sex, and Gambling) Rewards and gave a presentation entitled "Shared Brain Vulnerabilities in Obesity and Addiction" in San Juan, Puerto Rico on June 15, 2008.

Dr. Laurence Stanford, Deputy Director, DCNBR, was a participant in the Dana Foundation Speaking of Science Symposium entitled "The Teen Brain" at the Dana Center on May 27th, 2008 in Washington, DC.

Dr. Laurence Stanford presented a talk entitled "NIH Grant Writing and Funding Mechanisms" at the National Hispanic Science Network Summer Research Training Institute on June 11th, 2008 in Houston, Texas.

Dr. Laurence Stanford served as a member of the NIH Pediatric Device Working Group and participated in the Interagency Pediatric Device Development Workshop on July 23rd, 2008 in Bethesda, Maryland.

Dr. Karen Sirocco, DCNBR, organized and moderated a panel entitled "Potential Role of Physical Activity on Attention and Other Cognitive Processes: A New Paradigm for Drug Abuse Prevention?" at the NIDA meeting entitled "Can Physical Activity and Exercise Prevent Drug Abuse? Promoting a Full Range of Science to Inform Prevention" held on June 5 and 6th, 2008 in Bethesda, Maryland.

Dr. Cecelia Spitznas, DCNBR, lectured on behavioral and integrative treatment research at the National Hispanic Scientist Network Summer Research Training Institute on June 12, 2008 in Houston Texas. A major purpose of this NIDA supported program is to train junior investigators interested in addressing drug abuse and associated problems for Latino/Hispanic ethnic minorities.

Drs. James Bjork, DCNBR, and Minda Lynch, DBNBR, co-chaired a symposium "Adults are from Mars, and Adolescents are from Venus" at the annual meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence on June 16, 2008 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The speakers were Janet Neisewander (Arizona State University), Sari Izenwasser (University of Miami), Nicole Schramm Sapyta (Duke University), and Yasmin Hurd (Mount Sinai School of Medicine).

Dr. Harold Gordon, DCNBR, participated in a workshop convened on July 18, 2008 by the National Sleep Awareness Roundtable for the purpose of understanding how sleep disorders impact health or disease conditions.

Dr. Harold Gordon participated in the roundtable discussion on Human Genetics in the NIDA "Mentored K Awardees Meeting: Making the Transition to Independence" that was held at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, Bethesda, MD on July 24-25, 2008. Drs. James Bjork, Steven Grant and Mary Kautz also participated in the meeting.

Dr. Steven Grant, DCNBR, gave a presentation titled "Clinical Neuroscience of Addiction: Advances and Prospects" in the symposium "What is the Fundamental Nature of Addiction?" at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association in Boston, Mass on August 14-18, 2008. The symposium was chaired by Meyer Glantz (DESPR) and the other speakers included Wilson Compton, (DESPR), Kevin Conway (DESPR) and Robert F. Krueger (University Minnesota).

Dr. Steven Grant gave a presentation entitled "Brain Mechanisms of Inhibitory Control Deficits in Drug Abusers and TBI" at the MindKnit Conference on US-Japan Goodwill Exchange for Technology and Research on Persons with TBI, Autism, and Special Needs, in Rockville, MD on July 14, 2008.

Dr. David McCann, DPMCDA, gave a presentation entitled "Medications Discovery for Drug Addiction Treatment: Methods, Results and Future Directions" at the Annual Meeting of the International Study Group Investigating Drugs as Reinforcers (ISGIDAR) on June 14, 2008 in San Juan, PR.

A symposium on Preclinical Research on the Discovery of Glutamatergic Therapeutics for the Treatment of Addiction, organized and co-chaired by Dr. David A. White, DPMCDA and Dr. Anthina Markou, University of California, San Diego was held on June 19, 2008 at the Annual Meeting of the College on the Problem of Drug Dependence (CPDD) in San Juan, PR. The participants and their presentation titles included: Dr. Bryan K. Yamamoto, Boston University School of Medicine, "Possible Glutamatergic Targets for the Treatment of High Dose Substituted Amphetamine Exposure;" Dr. Ainhoa Bilbao, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany, "The Role of NMDA and AMPA Receptors in Cocaine Addiction;" Dr. Karen K. Szumlinski, University of California, Santa Barbara, "mGluR-Homer-P13K Signaling Mechanisms in Addiction-Related Behaviors;" and Dr. Carrie Jones, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, "Allosteric Modulators of mGluRs as a Novel Approach to Treatment of Drug Abuse and Other CNS Disorders." Dr. Markou was the discussant.

At the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association on August 14, 2008, Dr. Jane B. Acri, DPMCDA, and Dr. Nancy Mello (McLean Hospital, Harvard University) co-chaired the Jack Mendelson Memorial Symposium: Recent Advances in the Development of Medications for Drug Abuse Treatment. Presenters included Dr. James H. Woods (University of Michigan) on Drug and Environment-Induced Changes in Behavior, Dr. Jack Bergman (McLean Hospital, Harvard University) on Recent Candidate Medications for Stimulant Abuse: Preclinical Evaluation in Nonhuman Primates, Dr. Richard Foltin (Columbia University) on Novel Laboratory Models in Medication Development, Dr. Leonard Howell (Emory University) on Nonhuman Primate Neuroimaging and Cocaine Medication Development, Dr. Richard Rothman, IRP, on Dual DA/5-HT Releasers: Potential Treatment Agents for Stimulant Addiction, and Dr. Frank Vocci, Director, DPMCDA, on Remediation of Cognitive Deficits as a Target for the Treatment of Stimulant Dependence.

Dr. Ivan Montoya, DPMCDA, and Joni Rutter, DCNBR, co-chaired a symposium at the CPDD meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The title was "Pharmacogenetics of Medications for the Treatment of Addictions". The panel of presenters included Drs. Caryn Lerman from University of Pennsylvania, Thomas Kosten from Baylor College of Medicine, Mary Jeanne Kreek from The Rockefeller University, Bernard Le Foll from the University of Toronto, and George Uhl from the NIDA IRP.

Robert Walsh and Ivan Montoya from DPMCDA co-chaired a workshop at the CPDD meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The focus was to discuss tools and strategies to ensure compliance with current regulations for clinical trials of pharmacotherapies for drug abuse. The panel of presenters included Drs. Frances Levin from Columbia University and Eric Strain from Johns Hopkins University, as well as the co-chairs.

Dr. Ivan Montoya substituted for Dr. Petra Jacobs to co-chair with Dr. Frances Levin a symposium at the CPDD meeting in San Juan (Puerto Rico). The title was "Advances in the Development of Medications for Comorbid ADHD and Substance Use Disorders." The panel of presenters included Drs. Brooke Molina from the U. of Pittsburgh, Himanshu Upadhyaya from the Medical University of South Carolina, Paula Riggs from the University of Colorado, Frances Levin from Columbia University, and Timothy Wilens from Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Wilson M. Compton, Director, DESPR, presented a plenary lecture "Drug Abuse and Addition: Neuroscience Update" and chaired a breakout session on re-entry programs for the Federal Judiciary Training on July 17, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. He also presented the same plenary lecture to the Federal Probation and Parole Association on August 13, 2008 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Dr. Wilson M. Compton presented "Dimensional Models of Marijuana Use, Abuse and Addiction" at the American Psychological Association meeting on August 14, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Dr. Wilson M. Compton served as discussant on a panel on the social epidemiology of drug abuse at the meeting of the Society for Epidemiological Research on June 25, 2008 in Chicago, Illinois.

Dr. Wilson M. Compton presented, chaired sessions and served as discussant in panels at the annual meetings of the American Psychiatric Association, on May 7, 2008 in Washington, D.C. and at the Society for Prevention Research on May 27, 2008 in San Francisco, California.

Dr. Wilson M. Compton presented on treatment of addiction as a plenary speaker both at the US-Mexico Bi-National Conference on July 25 in Monterrey, Mexico and at the meeting of the Association of American Indian Physicians on July 28, 2008 in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Dr. Wilson M. Compton presented to the National Youth Leadership Forum on July 21, 2008 in Vienna, Virginia.

Dr. Redonna K. Chandler, Chief, SRB, DESPR, presented "Treatment is Key: Addressing Drug Abuse in Criminal Justice Settings" at the National Association of Drug Court Professionals 14th Annual Conference on May 29, 2008 in Saint Louis, Missouri.

Dr. Redonna K. Chandler presented "CJ-DATS: Criminal Justice Drug Abuse Treatment Studies" at the annual meeting for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals on May 28, 2008 in Saint Louis, Missouri.

Dr. Redonna K. Chandler co-chaired AcademyHealth Behavioral Health Services Research Interest Group Meeting entitled "Embedding Services Research Questions into Comparative Effectiveness Studies from the Start," on June 10, 2008 in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Elizabeth Robertson, Chief, PRB, DESPR, presented a talk titled "What Do We Do Besides Talking to You?" to visiting scholars from the Pennsylvania State University, on May 6, 2008 in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Elizabeth Robertson and Dr. Richard Spoth of Iowa State University, co-lead a roundtable symposium titled "Lost in Translation" at the 16th Annual Meeting of the Society for Prevention Research on May 28, 2008 in San Francisco, California.

Dr. Elizabeth Robertson presented a paper titled "Emerging Principles of Prevention at the joint NASADAD/NIDA/SAMHSA meeting: Blending Research and Practice: Enhancing Services Using Addiction Treatment and Prevention Research" on June 8, 2008 in Montgomery, Alabama.

Dr. Elizabeth Robertson presented two workshops "Research to Practice and Back Again" at the CADCA Mid-year Seminar on July 29, 2008 in Palm Springs, California.

Dr. Elizabeth Robertson presented a session titled "Principles of Prevention" at the National Prevention Network, 21st Annual Prevention Research Conference on August 25, 2008 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Dr. Yonette Thomas Chief, ERB, DESPR and Dr. Wilson Compton, Director, DESPR, participated in a panel on "Social Epidemiology and Behavioral Health: Methodological Approaches, Problems, and Promise" at the Society for Epidemiological Research on May 25, 2008 in Chicago, Illinois.

Dr. Yonette Thomas presented on "The Epidemiology of Drug Abuse" at the summer institute of the National Hispanic Science Network on June 10, 2008 in Houston, Texas.

Dr. Dionne Jones, Deputy Chief, SRB, DESPR, gave a presentation on "Disparities in HIV/AIDS and Substance Abuse in the US: Research Needs" at the Meeting on Cultures in Context: HIV and Substance Abuse Research in the Southeast, on June 12, 2008 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Dr. Dionne Jones gave a presentation on "Funding Opportunities in DESPR" at the NIDA Research Development Diversity Programs Workshop on May 19, 2008 in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Dr. Dionne Jones gave a presentation on "Funding Opportunities for Health Disparities Research at NIDA: Helpful Hints for Investigators" at a Research Workshop: On the Road to NIH Funding, on May 6, 2008 in Richmond, Virginia.

Dr. Dionne Jones chaired a panel, "Substance Abuse Treatment for Adolescents: Addressing Health Disparities" at the Joint Meeting for Adolescent Treatment Effectiveness Conference, on March 25, 2008 in Washington, DC.

Dr. Dionne Jones facilitated a round table discussion on grant writing at a professional development workshop for diversity investigators, sponsored by the National Institute on Neurological Disorders and Stroke on March 3, 2008 in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Tom Brady, DESPR, and Dr. Richard A. Denisco, DESPR, coordinated a one-day NIDA Workshop "Screening for Drug Use in General Medical Settings" on May 12, 2008 in Bethesda, Maryland.

Dr. Tom Brady, DESPR, and Dr. Richard A. Denisco, DESPR, coordinated a meeting co-sponsored by NIDA and ONDCP titled "Identifying Prescription Drug Abuse in Medical Settings: Challenges and Opportunities" on May 19, 2008 in Bethesda, Maryland.

Dr. Tom Brady, DESPR, and Dr. Redonna K. Chandler, Chief, SRB, DESPR, managed a two-day conference "Enhancing Practice Improvement: NIDA Community-Based Grantee Meeting", on May 22 and 23, 2008 in Bethesda, Maryland.

Dr. Sarah Q. Duffy, DESPR, served as chair and discussant in sessions on Substance Abuse and Technology Adoption at the American Society of Health Economists meeting on June 23-25, 2008 in Durham, North Carolina. Dr. Tom Brady developed and chaired a symposium on adolescent health at the Academy Health Annual Research Meeting titled "Continuing Care for Adolescents with Substance Use Disorders: Opportunities for Health Services Research" on June 9, 2008 in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Aleta Meyer, DESPR gave an opening plenary titled "Federal Funding to Support Research of Adventure Programming and Experiential Education: The Why's and How To's" at the Research and Evaluation of Adventure Programming (REAP) Symposium on March 20, 2008 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Dr. Aleta Meyer led a workshop titled "Exploring Connections between Healthy Living and Substance Use Prevention Research" at the annual conference for USDA's Children-Youth-and-Families-At-Risk (CYFAR) on May 8, 2008 in San Antonio, Texas.

Dr. Eve Reider, Deputy Chief, PRB, DESPR, was a discussant for the symposium "Understanding Risky Sexual Behavior During Emerging Adulthood" the at the 16th Annual Meeting of the Society for Prevention Research on May 28, 2008 in San Francisco, California.

Dr. Belinda Sims chaired a research roundtable entitled "Context and Beyond: NIH Priorities for Prevention Research." at the 16th annual meeting of the Society for Prevention Research on May 28, 2008 in San Francisco, California. Discussants included Dr. Aria Crump, DESPR and Dr. LeShawndra Price, DESPR.

Dr. Belinda Sims and Dr. Aria Crump co-chaired a discussion session at the 16th annual meeting of the Society for Prevention Research entitled "The Federal Grants Process: You Have Questions, We Have Answers" on May 28, 2008 in San Francisco, California.

Dr. Aleta Meyer led a roundtable discussion titled "Preventing Substance Use and Risky Sexual Behavior in College Contexts" at the annual meeting of the Society for Prevention Research on May 30, 2008 in San Francisco, California.

Dr. Elizabeth Ginexi, DESPR, served as the discussant for a paper symposium titled "Can You Sit Still and Raise Your Hand? Self-Regulation as a Focus for School Readiness Interventions." at the 16th annual meeting for the Society for Prevention Research on May 29, 2008 in San Francisco, California.

Dr. Aria Crump, DESPR chaired a symposium entitled "Drug Prevention Program Effects on Early Adult Outcomes: A Growing Body of Evidence" at the 16th Annual Meeting of the Society for Prevention Research on May 29, 2008 in San Francisco, California.

Dr. Eve Reider, Deputy Chief, PRB, DESPR, presented on NIDA's Prevention Research Branch activities at the Community Epidemiology Work Group meeting on June 12, 2008 in Bethesda, Maryland.

Dr. Peter Hartsock, DESPR, met with the University of Texas School of Public Health's Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research on May 2-3, 2008 in Houston Texas to plan research activities on the U.S.-Mexico border and east Africa. Also planned was a convocation of all living Surgeons General in Houston this coming February. The convocation will focus on wellness and healthy life styles.

Dr. Peter Hartsock, DESPR, and NIDA grantee Dr. Martina Morris of the University of Washington, met with IOM and USAID to present latest research modeling findings on the "HIV Superway" on March 20, 2008 in Washington, D.C. Findings included that concurrent sexual partnerships account for 50% of sexually-transmitted HIV cases.

Dr. Betty Tai, Director, CCTN, co-chaired, along with Juana Tomas-Rosello (UNODC), the symposium, "Implementing Evidence-Based Practice Treatments: The Clinical Trials Network and TreatNet Models" at the NIDA International Forum held June 13-17, 2008 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The symposium's goal was to describe two different models designed to integrate research findings into the practices of community-based treatment providers. Speakers included Dr. Jose Szapocznik (University of Miami), Dr. Jeffrey Seltzer (North Shore-Long Island Jewish Hospital), Dr. Richard Rawson (University of California at Los Angeles) and Dr. Min Zhao (Shanghai Jiao Tong University).

Dr. Paul Wakim, CCTN, organized and chaired an invited session at the 29th Annual Meeting of the Society for Clinical Trials, May 18-21, 2008, in St. Louis, Missouri. The title of the session was "Interim Look(s): Practical Recommendations". The three invited speakers were Drs. David DeMets (University of Wisconsin-Madison), John Lachin (George Washington University) and Peter Ouyang (Johnson & Johnson). Dr. Wakim was the discussant.

Dr. Harold Perl, CCTN, served on the faculty for the two annual NIH Regional Seminars on Program Funding and Grants, sponsored by the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER). These seminars are intended to help demystify the application and review process, clarify Federal regulations and policies, and highlight current areas of special interest or concern. The seminars serve the NIH mission of providing education and training for the next generation of biomedical and behavioral scientist. The faculty of NIH policy, grants management, review, and program staff provide a broad array of expertise and encourage personal interaction between themselves and seminar participants. The two 2008 seminars convened in San Antonio, Texas from March 25-27, 2008 and in Chicago, Illinois on June 18-20, 2008. Dr. Perl also led a Webinar training seminar on NIH Program Funding and Grants for faculty and staff at California State University - Fresno on June 9, 2008. He will lead a second Webinar training seminar on October 16, 2008 for faculty and staff at Texas A&M International University.

Dr. Petra Jacobs, CCTN, participated in the meeting of the Workshop Selection Committee of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD), August 15, 2008, in New York, NY.

Dr. Lula Beatty, Chief, Special Populations Office (SPO), attended the program directors meeting of the NINDS Specialized Neuroscience Research Programs on April 28, 2008 in Bethesda, Maryland.

Dr. Lula Beatty presented an overview of NIDA and moderated a session on health disparities at the CSAT satellite program at CPDD on June 14, 2008 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Dr. Lula Beatty participated in the program of the Underrepresented Populations Committee at CPDD on June 15 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Dr. Lula Beatty moderated a session titled "Strengthening Families - Connecting Fathers" at the African American Health Marriage Initiative conference (Building Strong and Healthy Families: Connecting Marriage Research to Practice Conference) on June 17, 2008 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Dr. Lula Beatty served as a poster judge for the NCI Cancer Health Disparities Summit held on July 14-16, 2008 in Bethesda, Maryland.

Dr. Lula Beatty presented a talk titled "Getting Help: NIDA Research on Access to Services" at the convention of the Association of Black Psychologists on July 31, 2008 in Oakland, California.

Dr. Lula Beatty participated in the following activities at the American Psychological Association convention held August 13-17, 2008 in Boston, MA: Chaired a session titled "Impact of Criminalization on Women's Identity and Treatment Needs," chaired a federal panel (and hosted a NIDA roundtable) on research opportunities sponsored by the APA Women's Program Office, and presented a talk titled "The Role of Neuropsychology in Health Disparities Research: Focus on Addiction."

Dr. Lula Beatty participated as a faculty member at the inaugural meeting of the Committee on Women in Psychology's Leadership Institute for mid-career women. The workshop, convened as an American Psychological Association preconference activity, was held August 12, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Flair Lindsey, SPO, coordinated the 12th annual Summer Research with NIDA program, which enabled high school and undergraduate students to engage in drug abuse research with a number of NIDA grantees for 8-10 weeks over the summer. This year, 55 students and 32 investigators participated.

Flair Lindsey presented an overview of NIDA Diversity-supported programs and activities to students at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's "Addiction, Infectious Disease and Public Health Conference" on April 21, 2008 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Ana Anders was a guest speaker for participants in the NIH Hispanic Youth Initiative at Lipsett Auditorium on July 14, 2008 in Bethesda, Maryland.

Ana Anders presented at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) meeting, which was hosted by NIMH on July 23, 2008 in Bethesda, Maryland.

Dr. Teri Levitin, Director, OEA, served on the faculty for the Association for Psychological Science 19th annual convention workshop on "Grant Getting for Graduate Students and New Faculty" in May 2008 in Chicago, IL.

Dr. Levitin co-organized and with other NIH staff presented a workshop on social and behavioral research and the grant review process at NIH and NIDA at the American Sociological Association 103rd annual meeting in Boston, MA in August 2008.

Dr. Levitin co-taught a course on grant writing at the American Psychological Association 116th annual meeting as part of the APA's continuing education workshop program. This meeting took place in August in Boston.

Dr. Gerald McLaughlin, OEA, co-managed the Mitochondria Interest Group (MIG), whose January 2008 Symposium associated with a MIG-nominated WALS speaker, helped to promote an active trans-NIH Roadmap initiative. Dr. McLaughlin's nomination for the 2008-2009 WALS series, Dr. Leonard Guarante of MIT, has also been selected for a WALS lecture and Dr. McLaughlin is co-arranging a mini-symposium associated with Dr. Guarante's SIRTUINS, Aging and Disease lecture in November 2008.

Dr. Gerald McLaughlin co-founded and co-chairs the NIH-wide Scientific Program and Review Interest Group (SPRIG) whose theme in 2007-2008 was Springboards to Science Leadership and Management, arranged several lecture-discussion sessions including a June session on Peer Review and Leadership, and is co-defining the 2008-2009 SPRIG series theme, tentatively, managing innovative transformative research.

Dr. Mark Swieter, OEA, was a speaker at the Grant Writing Workshop presented at CPDD's 70th annual scientific meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico, June 14-19, 2008.

Dr. Kristen Huntley, OEA, and Dr. Mark Swieter co-chaired a career development workshop with the theme "Promotions and Tenure in Tight Times." Panelists were Drs. Bill Dewey, Linda Dykstra, Carl Latkin, Kathy Sanders-Phillips, and Sharon Walsh. The workshop was presented at CPDD's 70th annual scientific meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico, June 14-19, 2008.

Dr. Nadine Rogers, OEA, and Dr. Mark Swieter co-chaired a workshop "What's New at NIDA and NIH" at CPDD's 70th annual scientific meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico, June 14-19, 2008.

Dr. Eliane Lazar-Wesley, OEA, presented at two workshops, "Promotions and Tenure in Tight Times" and "What's New at NIDA and NIH" at CPDD's 70th annual scientific meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico, June 14-19, 2008.

Dr. Eliane Lazar-Wesley presented "Peer Review Issues" for the Penn State Prevention and Methodology Training Program in Bethesda, Maryland on May 7, 2008.

Dr. Eliane Lazar-Wesley co-organized and made a presentation "Peer-Review Workshop" at the NIDA sponsored Mentored K Awardees meeting: Making the Transition to Independence, in Bethesda, Maryland on July 24, 2008.

Dr. Rita Liu, OEA, presented at two workshops, "Promotions and Tenure in Tight Times" and "What's New at NIDA and NIH" at CPDD's 70th annual scientific meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico, June 14-19, 2008.

Dr. Jose Ruiz, OEA, delivered a presentation entitled, "The NIH, NIDA, and the Review Process: Focus on Undergraduate Institutions and Students," at St. Mary's College of Maryland on May 28, 2008.

Dr. Gerald McLaughlin, OEA, co-coordinated several events for the University of Iowa's DC Area Alumni Club related to the spring 2008 Iowa floods.

Dr. Amy Newman, IRP, was invited to give a seminar at the University of Mississippi, School of Pharmacy entitled "Dopamine D3 Receptor Antagonists as Potential Therapeutic Agents for Addiction" in March 2008.

Dr. Amy Newman was invited to give a NIDA Director's Seminar entitled "Molecular Tools to Study Drug Addiction" in April 2008.

Dr. Bruce Hope, IRP, presented a talk entitled "Neuronal Ensembles & Context-specific Sensitization to Cocaine" at the Plasticity & Repair in Neurodegenerative Disorders Workshop at the UCLA Conference Center at Lake Arrowhead, CA on May 15-18, 2008.

Dr. Yavin Shaham, IRP, was invited to present a seminar entitled "Neurobiology of Relapse to Drug Use" at the Neuroscience Seminar Series at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, on May 22-23, 2008.

Dr. Kenner Rice, IRP, presented the A. Nelson Voldeng Memorial Lecture "Corticotropin Releasing Hormone (CRH) Agonist and Antagonists as Drugs and Research Tools" at the University of Arkansas, School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Little Rock, AK in May 2008.