What’s New in the CTN?

he NIDA, Office of Research Training, Diversity, and Disparities (ORTDD) is excited to share that the 2025 NIDA Diversity Scholars Network (NDSN) program is now accepting applications!  The deadline to apply is January 31, 2025! NIDA is seeking applications from individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups, who are interested in conducting substance use and addiction research. The NDSN is a grant-writing program aimed at enhancing the funding success of early-stage investigators. The program consists of three workshops and culminates in a mock review meeting experience. Questions? Contact Isabela Ellenwood (NDSN@nih.gov)….

Kelly Young-Wolff, PhD, MPH, Health System Node faculty, and Research Scientist at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, co-authored a new report examining the problem of increasing potency of cannabis and cannabis products as a member of an independent scientific committee convened by the California Department of Public Health. The report, Report and Recommendations of the High Potency Cannabis Think Tank to the State of California, shares health and equity-based policy recommendations to increase public awareness, promote safer use and reduce exposure to the highest risk groups. Download…

NIDA’s Office of Research Training, Diversity, and Disparities offers paid summer research internships to expose undergraduate students to the field of substance use and addiction research. Selected students work with distinguished scientists at research institutions across the United States for eight weeks during the summer. Internships involve hands-on experiences that may include laboratory experiments, data collection, data analysis, formal courses, participation in lab meetings, patient interviews, manuscript preparation, library research, literature reviews, and more. This effort is intended to provide opportunities for talented students, particularly those who have fewer opportunities…

David Scott, Appalachian Node CTN-0100 Project Coordinator and CIRCL member, moderated a plenary session, Spectrums in Recovery and Treatment, at the AMERSA annual meeting in Chicago, November 2024.  The session, attended by the 800 conference participants, featured a panel of three individuals with lived experience who are national leaders in advocating and supporting individuals who use drugs.  Laura Lander, MSW, LICSW gave an interview to Lori Kersey of West Virginia Watch about SB 2028 on October 22, 2024, a bill written and signed into Law by the governor on October…

Join the NIDA CCTN on November 20 (12pm ET) for a webinar on the future of AI in medicine! Presenter:Dr. Curt LanglotzProfessor of Radiology, Medicine, and Biomedical Data ScienceSenior Associate Vice Provost for ResearchDirector, Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine & ImagingSenior Fellow, Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is an incredibly powerful tool for building systems that support the work of clinicians and researchers. Over the last decade, machine learning methods have revolutionized the analysis of medical data, leading to high interest and explosive growth in the use of…

Charged with leading scientific research to improve minority health and reduce health disparities, NIMHD is launching the development of the 2026 – 2030 NIH Minority Health and Health Disparities Strategic Plan. The NIH wants to hear your experiences, insights and ideas to help shape the future of minority health and health disparities research efforts. Share your input on the new strategic plan at upcoming community virtual townhalls and respond to the newly released Request for Information (NOT-MD-25-002; deadline December 31, 2024). These important opportunities are open to all. Join NIH…

The Learning for Early Careers in Addiction and Diversity (LEAD) program offers mentorship and training to postdoctoral fellows and assistant professors who are pursuing independent research careers in substance use and substance use disorder treatment. This support is aimed at individuals from racial and ethnic minoritized groups who are underrepresented among NIH-funded investigators in this field. The LEAD Program uses the NIDA Clinical Trials Network (CTN) as a platform for training early-careerinvestigators. This 3-year training program is based at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and visiting scholars spend…

CTN-0150 (TOME) study is completed! The CTN-OVN has successfully completed the CTN-0150 (TOME; LI – Winhusen) study activities and is now heading into data analysis.  This study was part of the supplemental IMPROVE funds from NIDA and the NICHD awarded to the OVN to utilize the CTN-0080 study as a platform to collect additional data regarding Opioid Use Disorder in pregnant/postpartum populations.  TOME included two objectives:  1) to evaluate the ability of the Personally-Tailored Opioid-overdose and Medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) Education (TOME) intervention to increase MOUD and opioid-overdose…

CTN members: The receipt deadline for paper and poster abstracts for the June 2025 CPDD annual meeting is December 27, 2024.   The Publication Committee would like to remind authors that presentations and poster abstracts should be submitted to the Publications Committee for prior review and approval at least a month in advance (November 29, 2024) of submission receipt deadline for CPDD. Due to holiday schedules, the PC cannot guarantee that we will be able to review and provide comments if these abstracts are not received by December 11th.  Please…

Questions about HIV PrEP and how it relates to people with substance use disorders? The NIDA HIV Research Program has invited some HIV clinical research experts and people living with HIV and substance use disorders  to join us in our next virtual Seminar, “Let’s Talk PrEP”, October 23rd, 1-2:30 pm. The seminar includes Drs. Rupa Patel from Whitman-Walker Health and the CDC; Dr. Jaimie Meyer from Yale, and Dr. Hansel Tookes from the University of Miami. Register for the webinar here!