National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Trainees Host Research Symposium
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s (NIAAA) Trainee Engagement Committee convened for the NIAAA 3rd Annual Trainee Research Symposium on June 4–5, 2024. About 100 fellows, interns, principal investigators, staff, and others attended the hybrid event, which highlighted the work of research trainees in the NIAAA Intramural Research Program.
Each day of the two-day symposium featured talks and in-person poster presentations by NIAAA trainees and fellows on a broad array of topics, from alcohol-induced inflammation and organ injury to neurobiology and factors that play a role in alcohol misuse. The symposium also featured keynote lectures by Edith V. Sullivan, Ph.D., of Stanford University School of Medicine and by Scott L. Friedman, M.D., of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, as well as summary remarks by Adolf Pfefferbaum, M.D., Ph.D., of SRI International.
“The depth of thought and effort that the trainees put into organizing the symposium was evident, and the individual presentations were excellent,” said Patricia A. Powell, Ph.D., Deputy Director, NIAAA. “I am impressed with the leadership and professionalism shown by our up-and-coming scientists.”
A highlight of the symposium was a poster competition in which research trainees and fellows enthusiastically presented their work. In the Postbaccalaureate (postbac) and Predoctoral Fellow Division, awardees included:
- Natalie Johnson (postbac, mentor: Resat Cinar, Ph.D.)
- Jessica Sloane (postbac, mentor: Vijay Ramchandani, Ph.D.)
- Olivia Carpenter (postbac, mentor: Andrew Holmes, Ph.D.)
Award recipients in the Postdoctoral (postdoc) and Research Fellow Division were:
- Bryan Mackowiak, Ph.D. (postdoc, mentor: Bin Gao, M.D., Ph.D.)
- Mariam Melkumyan, Ph.D. (postdoc, mentor: Hee-Yong Kim, Ph.D.)
- Cheng Chen, Ph.D. (postdoc, mentor: Bin Gao, M.D., Ph.D.)
“Training the next generation of scientists is critical to the NIAAA mission and a high priority of our Intramural Research Program. The symposium was a huge success, and we are proud of what our trainees and fellows have accomplished,” said David Lovinger, Ph.D., Scientific Director, Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, NIAAA.
In this Issue
Sober-Curious Young Americans May Be Changing the Conversation Around Alcohol
According to data from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 68% of adults ages 21 and older in the United States drink alcohol. At the same time, researchers believe that the recent “sober curious” movement may be encouraging some people to reevaluate their relationship with alcohol and the impact that drinking can have on their health.
Study Confirms Real-World Reliability of a Key Tool for Alcohol Screening
The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test–Consumption (AUDIT-C) is a key, three-question tool used by health professionals to screen people for alcohol misuse. Although previous clinical research has validated use of the AUDIT-C, its test–retest reliability—a measure of the consistency of a test’s results over time—has not been evaluated in routine-care conditions with adult primary care patients.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Publishes New Strategic Plan
In the spring of 2024, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) released its strategic plan for fiscal years 2024–2028, Advancing Alcohol Research to Promote Health and Well-Being. The strategic plan considers the long-term priorities of the alcohol research field while remaining flexible to adapt to emerging public health needs and scientific opportunities.
Five Questions With Andrew Holmes, Ph.D.
Senior Investigator, Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism