Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( 🔒 ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Need Help

Investigation of the Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Astrocytic CREB's Regulation of Cocaine Drug-Seeking

Award Number: K01DA062014
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 12/15/2024
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 12/31/2025

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Investigation of the Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Astrocytic CREB's Regulation of Cocaine Drug-Seeking - PROJECT SUMMARY Drug addiction represents an enormous healthcare burden. To better understand its biological underpinnings, investigations of the transcriptional response to drugs of abuse have demonstrated lasting changes in gene expression throughout the brain’s reward circuitry. Historically focused on neurons, emerging evidence increasingly indicates that astrocytes are also involved in disorders of the nervous system, including addiction. Indeed, candidate genes in astrocytes have been identified and, furthermore, manipulation of astrocyte function has been demonstrated to influence rodent behavioral responses to cocaine administration. However, the astrocyte-specific transcriptome and its regulation following exposure to drugs of abuse has not yet been investigated. In my career, I will build an independent research program that investigates the astrocyte transcriptome and its regulation in the context of addiction. This proposal will elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms governing astrocytic CREB’s regulation of cocaine addiction-related behavior. Under the mentorship of Drs. Eric Nestler and Paul Kenny, I will rescue neuronal hypoactivity with DREADDs stimulation and record astrocyte calcium transients during cocaine SA. With additional mentorship from Dr. Li Shen, I will determine sex-specific astrocytic histone H3K27me3 gene targets and downstream molecular and cellular consequences to increase the rewarding properties of cocaine through bioinformatic comparison of CUT&RUN- and RNA-Sequencing. Viral-mediated manipulation to key H3K27me3 demethylase (Kdm6a/UTX) will uncover the contribution of astrocytic epigenetic regulation to cocaine drug-seeking. My independent laboratory will investigate the transcriptional and epigenetic regulation of astrocytes in the context of drug abuse and addiction. These experiments will prepare me to examine and manipulate cocaine-induced transcriptional and epigenetic modifications in astrocytes in my independent research laboratory. In sum, the research proposed in this Career Mentored Award will increase our understating of how regulation of the astrocyte transcriptome modulates behavioral responses to drugs of abuse. More broadly, the added training afforded by this award will prepare me to launch an independent research program that investigates the regulation of astrocyte gene expression, at both the transcriptional and epigenetic level, and distinguish its contributions to addiction phenotypes.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2027 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2027	2026	TEMPLE UNIVERSITY-OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION	1805 N BROAD ST	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19122	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	003	3	10/15/2026	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$16,570
2027	2026	TEMPLE UNIVERSITY-OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION	1805 N BROAD ST	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19122	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	002	3	10/15/2026	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$15,653
2027	2026	ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI	1 GUSTAVE L LEVY PL	NEW YORK	NY	10029	NEW YORK	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	001	2	10/15/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$15,653
2027	2025	ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI	1 GUSTAVE L LEVY PL	NEW YORK	NY	10029	NEW YORK	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	1	10/15/2026	NEW	-$16,570
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $157,565 )
2026	2026	ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI	1 GUSTAVE L LEVY PL	NEW YORK	NY	10029	NEW YORK	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	004	2	9/28/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$15,653
2026	2026	TEMPLE UNIVERSITY-OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION	1805 N BROAD ST	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19122	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	002	3	5/18/2026	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$141,912
2026	2026	TEMPLE UNIVERSITY-OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION	1805 N BROAD ST	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19122	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	005	3	9/28/2026	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	-$15,653
2026	2026	ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI	1 GUSTAVE L LEVY PL	NEW YORK	NY	10029	NEW YORK	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	2	1/29/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$180,846
2026	2026	ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI	1 GUSTAVE L LEVY PL	NEW YORK	NY	10029	NEW YORK	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	007	2	9/28/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
2026	2026	TEMPLE UNIVERSITY-OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION	1805 N BROAD ST	PHILADELPHIA	PA	19122	PHILADELPHIA	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	006	3	9/28/2026	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	-$16,570
2026	2026	ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI	1 GUSTAVE L LEVY PL	NEW YORK	NY	10029	NEW YORK	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	001	2	5/6/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$165,193
2026	2025	ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI	1 GUSTAVE L LEVY PL	NEW YORK	NY	10029	NEW YORK	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	003	1	9/28/2026	NEW	$16,570
														Subtotal = $157,565

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $180,646 )
2025	2025	ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI	1 GUSTAVE L LEVY PL	NEW YORK	NY	10029	NEW YORK	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	1	12/10/2024	NEW	$180,646
														Subtotal = $180,646

Grand Total All Awards = $338,211

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Investigation of the Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Astrocytic CREB's Regulation of Cocaine Drug-Seeking

Award Number: K01DA062014

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 12/15/2024

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 12/31/2025

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer