1. Center for Research on Substance Use and Addiction
Mark Wolfson, Ph.D.
Michael Nader, Ph.D.

2. Chronology
July – November, 2015: Development of FY Strategic Plan for Research
“Substance Abuse & Addiction” added as part of Neuroscience Focus Area
November 2015 – March 2016: Application & Review Cycle for New & Existing Institutional Research Centers
July 2016: CRSUA Begins!
September 2016: 1st Informational/Membership Meeting
September-October 2016: RFA for Pilot Grants
Health Care
$130 billion
$25 billion
$11 billion

3. Leadership Executive Committee
Mark Wolfson, Ph.D. (Social Sciences & Health Policy – PHS), Co-Director
Mike Nader, Ph.D. (Phys Pharm), Co-Director
Jeff Weiner, Ph.D. (Phys Pharm)
Linda Porrino, Ph.D. (Phys Pharm)
Laura Veach, Ph.D. (Surgery)
Elizabeth Arnold, Ph.D. (Psychiatry)
Health Care
$130 billion
$25 billion
$11 billion

4. Membership*
Physiology & Pharmacology – 13 Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine – 5 Social Sciences & Health Policy (PHS) – 4 Radiology – 3 Surgery – Trauma - 2 Internal Medicine - 2 Biostatistical Sciences (PHS) – 2 Surgery – General - 1 Anesthesiology – 1 Pathology - 1 Family & Community Medicine – 1 Radiation Oncology - 1 Other – 2 TOTAL - 38
Health Care
$130 billion
$25 billion
$11 billion
*Membership approved or in process, 9/27/2016

5. High Need High Opportunity to Build on Existing Strengths
Rationale for Center
High Need High Opportunity to Build on Existing Strengths
Health Care
$130 billion
$25 billion
$11 billion

6. Need: Communities WFBMC Serves
High rates of smoking and smokeless tobacco use
Western NC (e.g., Wilkes County) is at the center of the opioid overdose epidemic
Western NC communities have some of the highest rates of drinking & driving & alcohol related injuries in NC

7. Need: Health System/Patient Care
Nationally, 30% of hospital admissions are alcohol or other drug related
Nationally, 45% of ED admissions are alcohol or other drug related
We haven’t looked at health system data yet – but likely that our rates equal or exceed national rates
Anecdotal information points to special needs at WFMBC and affiliates
Readmissions
Opioid overdose
Infections resulting from self-injection of opioids
Reduce cost to Health Care System by reducing readmission rates (40-50% in trauma, for example)
Reduce cost to Health Care System by reducing readmission rates
Shorten length of stay by addressing alcohol and other drug complications (e.g., alcohol withdrawal complications) more quickly (e.g., medication assisted therapy)
Reduce admissions that require costly treatments that are unlikely to be reimbursed (e.g., infections related to IDU)
Reduce emergency department admissions
Improve population health through preventive interventions at the community level
6. Increase extramural funding portfolio and addiction care funding

8. Opportunity – Build on Existing Strengths in Research
Number of Funded Grants and Amount of Funding at WFSM
2013: 45 $9,515,163
2014: 40 $9,633,859
2015*: 45 $8,134,807
Total: $27,283,829
Number of Faculty Focused on this Area
27 Faculty
10 Departments
Anesthesiology, Internal Medicine, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pathology, Physiology & Pharmacology, Psychiatry, Public Health Sciences, Radiology, Regenerative Medicine

9. Robust research portfolios in basic science (Phys Pharm) & population health (PHS)
9 faculty studying substance abuse have received WFSM Research Investigator Awards

10. Emerging strength in clinical research (building in part on engagement of many faculty in substance abuse screening, brief intervention, treatment, and handling complications)
Surgery
Emergency Medicine
Family Medicine
Psychiatry
Internal Medicine
Cancer Center

11. Vision for Substance Abuse Research
Basic Science
Population Health
Clinical Science

12. Vision for Substance Abuse Research
Basic Science
Population Health
Clinical Science

13. Scientific Vision
Strategic growth in targeted areas of basic science research
Priority: research that will lead to the development of effective treatments for addiction and substance abuse (e.g., personalized treatment for substance abuse, pharmacogenetics)
Strategic growth in population research—involving both epidemiology and community-level and policy interventions—to promote population health (e.g., Rx drug abuse)
3. Clinical translational research to test the feasibility, implementation, and effectiveness of treatments for addiction and substance abuse in real world settings (e.g., dissemination & implementation research)

14. The Competitive Environment
Exemplary Research Programs in Substance Abuse/Addictions
Institution
Basic Science
Clinical Science
Population Science
Boston University +
Brown
Duke
Stanford
Yale
MUSC
Kentucky
UNC +*
Minnesota
Emory
Hopkins
Reduce cost to Health Care System by reducing readmission rates (40-50% in trauma, for example)

15. So, How Do We Do This? CRSUA Specific Aims:
Fund and implement the infrastructure for an institutional center focused on translational basic, population & clinical research on substance abuse and addiction
Develop and fund a pilot program to catalyze multi- disciplinary & translational research focused on personalized substance abuse prevention & treatment
Build a Substance Abuse & Addiction Education Core that will permeate our Learning Health Care System
Grow an effective program to disseminate research findings & evidence-based practices on substance abuse
Recruitment of Faculty with Strengths in Clinical S.A. Research
Reduce cost to Health Care System by reducing readmission rates (40-50% in trauma, for example)
Reduce cost to Health Care System by reducing readmission rates
Shorten length of stay by addressing alcohol and other drug complications (e.g., alcohol withdrawal complications) more quickly (e.g., medication assisted therapy)
Reduce admissions that require costly treatments that are unlikely to be reimbursed (e.g., infections related to IDU)
Reduce emergency department admissions
Improve population health through preventive interventions at the community level
6. Increase extramural funding portfolio and addiction care funding

16. How Do We Do This – Cont.
Convene WFSM Researchers & Clinicians across the translational spectrum to percolate/generate/synthesize research
Meet with Chairs of key departments to identify untapped opportunities for research
Meet with Health System representatives to identify research topics of special interest
Other ideas for “tactics” for moving this forward?
Reduce cost to Health Care System by reducing readmission rates (40-50% in trauma, for example)
Reduce cost to Health Care System by reducing readmission rates
Shorten length of stay by addressing alcohol and other drug complications (e.g., alcohol withdrawal complications) more quickly (e.g., medication assisted therapy)
Reduce admissions that require costly treatments that are unlikely to be reimbursed (e.g., infections related to IDU)
Reduce emergency department admissions
Improve population health through preventive interventions at the community level
6. Increase extramural funding portfolio and addiction care funding

17. A Coming Attraction…
April 10, 2017 Nora D. Volkow, M.D., Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health
NIDA supports most of the world’s research on the health aspects of drug abuse and addiction. 
Dr. Volkow’s work has been instrumental in demonstrating that drug addiction is a disease of the human brain.  As a research psychiatrist and scientist, Dr. Volkow pioneered the use of brain imaging to investigate the toxic effects and addictive properties of abusable drugs.  Her studies have documented changes in the dopamine system affecting, among others, the functions of frontal brain regions involved with motivation, drive, and pleasure in addiction.  She has also made important contributions to the neurobiology of obesity, ADHD, and aging.

18. Thank You! Mark Wolfson Mike Nader mwolfson@wakehealth.edu
6-0380
Mike Nader
3-7172

19. Ripple Effects on other Research Areas!
Diabetes,
Obesity, & Metabolism
Cancer Prevention
& Control
Basic Science
Population Health
Neuroscience
& Imaging
Infectious Disease
Clinical Science
CTSI
Learning Healthcare System

21. Scientific Neighborhoods @ Biotech Place
InterAC Forum
September 2015

22. Overview
Current Occupancy
Projects Underway
Future

23. Biotech Place | 1st Floor
Childress
ARP
Biomedical
Engineering
3rd Party
Core Lab
Hall (BME)

24. Biotech Place | 2nd Floor
Biochemistry
Microbiology & Immunology
ARP

25. Biotech Place | 3rd Floor
Phys/Pharm & BME
Diabetes
Radiology

26. Biotech Place | 4th Floor

27. Biotech Place | 5th Floor
Innovations
Shell Space
Future Use

28. ARP Facilities | Biotech Place
Small Animal Housing - Rabbit or smaller
Ventilated Caging Only, Designated Receiving/Holding Room, Vet Treatment Room, One General Purpose Procedure Room, Four BSL2 Procedure Rooms, Designated Necropsy Suite

29. Current Projects
ARP

30. Radiology – Culture Facility
Current Projects
Ultralow Freezer Room
Radiology – Culture Facility
Phys/Pharm