Saturday, May 24, 2025
5/24/2025
Mentoring in Patient-Oriented Research on Substance Use Disorders - Project Summary/Abstract The overarching goal of this K24 Award proposal is to enable Dr. R. Kathyn McHugh (PI/applicant) to expand her mentorship of the next generation of investigators in patient-oriented research (POR) on substance use disorders. Dr. McHugh is a clinician-scientist whose work focuses on the nature and treatment of substance use disorders, with a focus on behavioral and affective risk and maintenance factors and behavioral therapy development and testing. The proposed K24 award consists of integrated training and research plans that will provide Dr. McHugh with both (1) increased time to dedicate to mentorship of current and new mentees, and (2) expansion of her own program of POR. This expansion would both broaden the impact of the work of Dr. McHugh’s lab and facilitate enhanced mentorship of junior investigators. Target areas for mentorship will include expanding currently funded projects to provide additional opportunities for investigator training and extending mentorship to new investigators and mentorship programs. Target areas for expansion of POR include (1) extension of existing POR in substance use disorder treatment and epidemiology through secondary data analyses, submission of competing renewals for 2 current R01s, submission of a K12 Institutional Training Award, and grant submissions with new collaborators; and, (2) development of new content expertise in medication treatment research in SUDs across the translational research continuum in collaboration with experts in medication for SUDs at the preclinical (Dr. William Carlezon), human behavioral (Dr. Scott Lukas) and clinical trial level (Dr. Roger Weiss). Mentees would be included in all elements of this work as collaborators, co-authors, and co-investigators. McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School provide an ideal environment for the attainment of these objectives, including clinical units supportive of POR, seminars and courses in designating training areas, and a highly active Clinical and Translational Science Center, with a wide array of resources for career development and training. This K24 Award would provide Dr. McHugh with the protected time to expand her mentorship in POR and to add new skills in medication trials for substance use disorders designed to complement her prior expertise and to provide an impactful extension of both her own POR and that of her mentees. These expansions of mentorship capacity and breadth of POR will advance the ultimate goal of reducing the public health burden of substance use disorders.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).