Office of the Director
- Mission
- Program Areas
- Program Announcements
- Contacts
Mission
The Division of Basic Neuroscience and Behavioral Research (DBNBR) supports basic research on the causes and consequences of drugs of abuse and addiction processes. DBNBR is one of four divisions within NIDA and comprises four branches:
The Division's primary goal is to support basic biomedical and behavioral science research that relates to the public health problem of drug abuse and addiction. DBNBR accomplishes this goal through developing and supporting an extramural program of research in the basic biomedical and behavioral sciences. The supported research provides an understanding of the neurobiological, and behavioral effects of drugs of abuse. Research focuses on the mechanisms of addiction, drug craving, effects of drugs on behavior and cognition, long-term chronic effects of drugs, and drug metabolism. Basic research concerned with understanding the complex interrelationship between HIV/AIDS progression and transmission and drug abuse is also supported. DBNBR supports research training to increase the skills, quantity and quality and utilization of research investigators in biomedical and behavioral disciplines in the drug abuse field. The research supported by DBNBR provides important fundamental information to prevent and/or intervene in drug abuse and addiction.
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Program Areas
- Models of Addiction. Neural circuits underlying natural and drug reward; biobehavioral models of craving, relapse, compulsive behavior; neural systems and drug/behavior interaction; vertebrate, and invertebrate models.
- Drug-Induced Neuroadaptaton & Neuropathology in Brain Systems. Consequences of acute or chronic exposure to addictive drugs; neurotoxicity and its behavioral, physiological, or biochemical consequences; neuroAIDS; adaptation (ie, sensitization, tolerance, plasticity).
- Pain and Analgesia. Modulation of acute and chronic pain by brain and spinal mechanisms; antinociceptive actions of opioids, cannabinoids, peptides; cellular processes of pain, analgesia, tolerance (ie, receptor internalization); basis of alternative therapy (ie, acupuncture).
- Cognitive Processes. Neural mechanisms of drug-induced modification of cognitive processes (learning, memory, attention, associations, decision making, etc).
- Vulnerability to Drug Abuse. The brain process(es) by which physiological factors (e.g., stress, age, hormonal status, gender, affect), genetic constitution, past experience, or social interaction contributes to the drug experience or addiction liability of abused substances.
- Developmental Effects. Consequences of in utero and perinatal drug exposure on the nervous system and other organs as well as ontogenetic effects throughout the life-span. Adaptive and developmental cellular biology including nonclassical neural communication.
- Neuropsychopharmacology of Drugs of Abuse. Studies relating drugs of abuse to neural systems (e.g., mechanism of action of psychomotor stimulants on monoaminergic systems or nicotine and cholinergic neurotransmission); behavioral consequences of receptor subtype activation; regulation of neural systems; function of endogenous systems (e.g., endorphins, anandamide, excitatory amino acids, etc in health and disease).
- Genetic Basis of Vulnerability of Drug Addiction.
- Neuroimmune Relationships, Including Studies of HIV and AIDS Related to Neural or Infectivity Processes. Studies related to cytokine and chemokine modulation of neural function, amplification/diminution of these processes by toxins; interaction of these systems with the immune system and hence, modulation of disease.
- Innovative Chemical Design of New Entities and Probes. These include molecular probes, imaging agents, receptor selective ligands, potential new drug candidates; development of new ligands with computer-aided drug design or combinatorial chemistry or screening technologies; and structure-activity relationships.
- Development of Innovative Analytical Methods. Quantitation of endogenous compounds, drugs and metabolites.
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Program Announcements for DBNBR
PA-08-253: Unique Interactions Between Tobacco Use and HIV/AIDS (R01)
NOT-MH-08-022: Additional Receipt Dates for PAR-08-238 - National Cooperative Drug Discovery and Development Groups (NCDDDG) for the Treatment of Mental Disorders, Drug or Alcohol Addiction (U01/U19)
PAR-08-238: National Cooperative Drug Discovery and Development Groups (NCDDDG) for the Treatment of Mental Disorders, Drug or Alcohol Addiction (U01/U19)
RFA-GM-09-008 : Exceptional, Unconventional Research Enabling Knowledge Acceleration (EURUKA) (R01) Letters of Intent Receipt Date(s): September 29, 2008; Application Submission/Receipt Date(s): October 28, 2008
NOT-DA-08-038: Notice of Availability of Set-Aside Funds for FY 2009 for PAR-08-081
NOT-DA-08-036: Notice of Availability of Administrative Supplements for Drug Abuse Research on GALT and HIV/SIV Pathogenesis
PA-08-191: Research Supplements to Promote Re-Entry into Biomedical and Behavioral Research Careers
PAR-08-184: Collaborations with National Centers for Biomedical Computing (R01)
PAR-08-183: Exploratory Collaborations with National Centers for Biomedical Computing (R21)
PAS-08-179: Novel Lentiviral Models of HIV Neuropathogenesis (R21)
PAS-08-178: Novel Lentiviral Models of HIV Neuropathogenesis (R01)
NOT-DA-08-016: Notice to clarify the eligibility requirements for NIDA's Early Career Award in Chemistry of Drug Abuse and Addiction (ECHEM) award (PAS-07-327)
RFA-MH-09-030: Probes and Instrumentation for Monitoring and Manipulating Nervous System Plasticity (R01) Letters of Intent Receipt Date(s): August 16, 2008; Application Submission/Receipt Date(s): September 16, 2008
PAR-08-139: Enhancing Zebrafish Research with Research Tools and Techniques (R01)
PA-08-129: Prescription Drug Misuse (R03)
PA-08-128: Prescription Drug Misuse (R21)
PA-08-127: Prescription Drug Misuse (R01)
PA-08-098: Functional Links between the Immune System, Brain Function and Behavior (R21)
PA-08-097: Functional Links between the Immune System, Brain Function and Behavior (R01)
PAR-08-086: NIDA Comprehensive Research "Center of Excellence" Grant Program (P60)
PAR-08-081: Research Education Grants for Statistical Training in the Genetics of Addiction (R25)
PAR-08-073: NIDA Core "Center of Excellence" Grant Program (P30)
PA-08-053: Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in Biology and Medicine (R21)
PA-08-052: Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in Biology and Medicine (R01)
PAR-08-046: NIDA Research "Center of Excellence" Grant Program (P50)
PAR-08-035: Solicitation of Assays for High Throughput Screening (HTS) in the Molecular Libraries Probe Production Centers Network (MLPCN) (R03)
PAR-08-034: Solicitation of Assays for High Throughput Screening (HTS) in the Molecular Libraries Probe Production Centers Network (MLPCN) (X01)
PAR-08-023: Predictive Multiscale Models of the Physiome in Health and Disease (R01)
PA-08-013: ELSI Small Research Grant Program (R03)
PA-08-012: ELSI Regular Research Program (R01)
PAR-08-010: Continued Development and Maintenance of Software (R01)
PAR-07-426: Sharing Data and Tools: Federation using BIRN and caBIG Infrastructures (R01)
PAR-07-425: Data Ontologies for Biomedical Research (R01)
PAR-07-416: Developmental Pharmacology (R01)
PA-07-390: Neurotechnology Research, Development, and Enhancement (SBIR [R41/R42])
PA-07-389: Neurotechnology Research, Development, and Enhancement (SBIR [R43/R44])
PAS-07-382: Advancing Novel Science in Women's Health Research (ANSWHR) (R03)
PAS-07-381: Advancing Novel Science in Women's Health Research (ANSWHR) [R21]
PA-07-375: Psychopharmacology of Widely Available Psychoactive Natural Products (R03)
PA-07-374: Psychopharmacology of Widely Available Psychoactive Natural Products (R01)
PA-07-349: AIDS-Science Track Award for Research Transition (R03)
PA-07-331: Women and Sex/Gender Differences in Drug and Alcohol Abuse/Dependence (R21)
PA-07-330: Women and Sex/Gender Differences in Drug and Alcohol Abuse/Dependence (R03)
PA-07-329: Women and Sex/Gender Differences in Drug and Alcohol Abuse/Dependence (R01)
PAS-07-327: Early Career Award in Chemistry of Drug Abuse and Addiction (ECHEM) - NIDA (R03)
PAS-07-326: Drug Abuse, Risky Decision Making and HIV/AIDS (R03)
PAS-07-325: Drug Abuse, Risky Decision Making and HIV/AIDS (R21)
PAS-07-324: Drug Abuse, Risky Decision Making and HIV/AIDS (R01)
PA-07-304: Novel Approaches to Enhance Animal Stem Cell Research (R21)
PA-07-303: Novel Approaches to Enhance Animal Stem Cell Research (R01)
PA-07-302: Application of Metabolomics for Translational and Biological Research (R21)
PA-07-301: Application of Metabolomics for Translational and Biological Research (R01)
PA-07-282: Mechanisms, Models, Measurement, & Management in Pain Research (R01)
PA-07-279: Bioengineering Research Grants (BRG) (R01)
PA-07-266: Networks and Pathways Collaborative Research Projects (R01)
PA-07-228: Neuroscience Research on Drug Abuse (R03)
PA-07-227: Neuroscience Research on Drug Abuse (R21)
PA-07-226: Neuroscience Research on Drug Abuse (R01)
PA-07-222: Developmental Psychopharmacology (R21)
PA-07-121: The Development of Frontal Cortex and Limbic System and Their Roles in Drug Abuse or Mental Health (R01)
PA-07-117: Inhalant Abuse: Supporting Broad-Based Research Approaches (R01)
PA-07-089: HIV Infection of the Central Nervous System (R01)
PA-07-084: Developmental Psychopharmacology (R01)
PA-07-083: Basic and Translational Research in Emotion (R01)
PA-07-081: Women's Mental Health in Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period (R01)
PA-07-073: Molecular Genetics of Drug Addiction and Related Co-morbidities (R01)
PAR-07-049: Drug Discovery for Nervous System Disorders
PAR-07-048: Drug Discovery for Nervous System Disorders (R01)
NOT-DA-07-028: Notice of Intent to Publish a Program Announcement to Support Research by Newly Independent Chemistry Investigators for the Study of Drug Abuse and Addiction
NOT-DA-07-016: Notice of New Receipt Date for PA-07-349: AIDS-Science Track Award for Research Transition (R03) Applications
NOT-DA-07-007: Notice of New Receipt Dates for Cutting-Edge Basic Research Awards (CEBRA) (R21) Applications
NOT-NS-07-009: Announcement for the US-JAPAN Brain Research Cooperative Program - US Component
NOT-OD-07-068: Extension of Expiration Date and Clarification of Eligibility for Reentry Supplement
PA-06-543: Mechanisms, Models, Measurement, & Management in Pain Research (R03)
PA-06-542: Mechanisms, Models, Measurement, & Management in Pain Research (R21)
PAR-06-541: Behavioral Science Track Award for Rapid Transition (B/START) (R03)
PA-06-529: Preclinical Therapeutics Development for NeuroAIDS (R03)
PA-06-528: Preclinical Therapeutics Development for NeuroAIDS (R21)
PA-06-445: The Development of Frontal Cortex and Limbic System and Their Roles in Drug Abuse or Mental Health (R21)
PA-06-418: Exploratory/Developmental Bioengineering Research Grants (EBRG) [R21]
PAR-06-411: Exploratory Innovations in Biomedical Computational Science and Technology (R21)
PA-06-377: Women's Mental Health in Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period (R21)
PA-06-376: Women's Mental Health in Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period (R01)
PA-06-328: Inhalant Abuse: Supporting Broad-Based Research Approaches (R03)
PA-06-327: Inhalant Abuse: Supporting Broad-Based Research Approaches (R21)
PA-06-278: Neurotechnology Research, Development, and Enhancement (R21)
PAR-06-209: Cutting-Edge Basic Research Awards (CEBRA) (R21)
PA-06-018: "Development of PET and SPECT Ligands for Brain Imaging (STTR [R41/R42])"
PA-06-009: "Bioengineering Nanotechnology Initiative SBIR (R43/R44)"
PA-06-008: "Bioengineering Nanotechnology Initiative (STTR [R41/R42])
NOT-DA-05-005: Revised NIDA Policy Update for Mentored and Career Development Awards (K Awards)
PA-04-107: Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K24)
Training/Fellowship Grants
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Contacts
Division Contact Information
David Shurtleff, Ph.D.
Director
(301) 443-1887
David Shurtleff is Director of the Division of Basic Neuroscience and Behavioral Research (DBNBR). Dr. Shurtleff is responsible for management of DBNBR program operations and maintains specific interest in decision theory, cognitive and behavioral science and the neurosciences as these areas of research relate to drug abuse and addiction.
Before becoming Director, Dr. Shurtleff served as the Deputy Director for the Division and as a Health Scientist Administrator in Behavioral Sciences Research Branch within the Division where he supported extramural research in the basic behavioral sciences, including research in the cognitive sciences, behavioral economics, decision theory, and human and animal models of impulsivity, risk taking and other aspects of drug addiction. Before coming to NIDA, Dr. Shurtleff was a Research Psychologist at the Naval Medical Research Institute in Bethesda. While with the Navy he conducted basic behavioral, electrophysiological, cognitive, and field research on a variety of issues related to cognitive performance, environmental stress, and peripheral neuropathy. Before joining the Naval Medical Research Institute, Dr. Shurtleff was a Research Fellow at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, in the Department of Medical Neurosciences.
Paul Schnur, Ph.D.
Deputy Director for Program
(301) 443-1887
Dr. Schnur is an experimental psychologist with interests in the neuropsychopharmacology of drug abuse. He has conducted both animal and human research and has published in the areas of classical conditioning, selective attention, memory, and behavioral pharmacology. He brings interests in cognitive psychology to NIDA and is responsible for new initiatives that integrate cognitive, behavioral and social cognitive neuroscience approaches to understanding drug abuse. Dr. Schnur earned his Ph.D. at Indiana University (1970) and completed NIDA supported post-doctoral training at Brown University's Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies (1989-91). Dr. Schnur spent fourteen years at the University of Southern Colorado where he investigated biphasic effects of opiates on locomotor activity, conditioned tolerance/withdrawal and conditioned dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens. Prior to joining NIDA, Dr. Schnur served as Chairperson of the Department of Psychology at Indiana University South Bend (1993-2000). He joined NIDA as a Program Officer during the summer of 2000.
Karen Skinner, Ph.D.
Deputy Director for Science and Technology Development
(301) 443-1887
Dr. Karen Skinner joined the NIH in 1989 as a program officer in Developmental Neurogenetics at the National Institute on Neurological Disorders and Stroke. She moved to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in 1991, and currently serves as the Deputy Director for Science and Technology Development in the Division of Neuroscience and Behavior Research at NIDA. Prior to joining the NIH, Dr. Skinner served as a Special Assistant for Science Policy to the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. During 1984-1986 she served as a Congressional Fellow in the office of Senator John Kerry (MA), concentrating on science, health and technology issues associated with the Senator's assignment on the Labor and Human Resources Committee. Dr. Skinner received her B.S. in Chemistry with Special Honors from George Washington University and her doctorate in chemistry from Yale University, where her research involved studying steric influences upon reaction pathways, including calculations of electrostatic and van der Waals forces among atoms in a known crystal structure. Dr. Skinner also holds a Masters degree in Public Administration from Harvard University where her studies included decision theory, statistics, information management systems and macro- and microeconomics. Throughout her career, Dr. Skinner has devoted herself to scientific communication. Prior to joining the government, she served as an Assistant Editor at Chemical and Engineering News magazine, authoring early reports on the emerging field of biotechnology. More recently, she has focused on digital communications, and has taught vector based digital animation using FLASH at NIH's Center for Information Technology and as a volunteer at a local high school. Recently she served as a visiting scientist at the National Center for Biomedical Information assigned to the electronic publishing project, PubMedCentral.
Joni Rutter, Ph.D.
Program Director
(301) 435-0298
Dr. Rutter is a program director for human and population genetics, pharmacogenetics, bioinformatics, and molecular epidemiology, as they relate to vulnerabilities to drug abuse and addiction. Other interests include functional genomics in model organisms, technology development, and ethical, legal, and social issues in genetics. Dr. Rutter is actively involved in oversight and the continued development of genomics research at NIDA, which includes the NIDA Center for Genetic Studiesa repository of clinical data and biologic samples for drug abuse research in genetics.
Activities: Trans-NIH Group on Issues Related to Human Specimen Resource; NIDA Neuroscience Consortium; NIDA Genetics Consortium Steering Committee; NIDA Genetics Workgroup; Trans-NIH Genomics Resources Working Group, and she is an ex officio member of the DHHS Secretarys Advisory Committee on Genetics, Health, and Society.
Charles Sharp
Special Assistant to the Director and DBNBR Training Coordinator
(301) 443-1887
Charles Sharp directs and oversees the DBNBR NRSA program of NIDA. This program subsumes the training of young individuals including Fellowships (F31, F30 and F32 grants), the Institute Training grants (T32 grants) and Career Development (primarily K01 and K08) grants. He also oversees the DBNBR AIDS program which focuses on preclinical and subclinical aspects of infections subsequent to pharmacological manipulation and also includes studies of the endogenous systems involved in these drug actions. This program also includes pharmaconeuroimmuno-manifestations of disease processes through studies of neuronal damage, glial systems and other aspects of the nervous system. For many years, Dr. Sharp has and will continue to provide major input into NIDA's program dealing with "Inhalant Abuse". This includes the preclinical research area, which focuses on toxicity and basic mechanisms of gas (e.g. nitrous oxide, fluorocarbons) and solvent (e.g. thinner, organic nitrites) and mixtures (e.g. glues, spray paints) as well as clinical problems and patterns of inhalant abuse.
Beth Grigson Babecki
Deputy to Training Coordinator
(301) 435-0899
Ms. Babecki serves as the Deputy Training Coordinator for the Division of Basic Neuroscience and Behavioral Research (DBNBR) at NIDA. As a Program Official, she mentors applicants and grantees for both institutional (T32 grants) and individual training grants (F30, F31 and F32 grants). She also provides information on small grants (R03) and Career Development (K-type) grants. Ms. Babecki counsels applicants, reviews draft applications, and assists applicants in the interpretation of, and response to, scientific reviews. Principal Investigators are urged to contact her and discuss concerns, funding or other issues as they arise. Grantees are assisted in preparing special requests and any necessary actions are facilitated though internal review by the NIDA Research Training Committee. Fellows nearing completion of their fellowships are mentored on submission of a NIDA research grant and by providing advice using all available human and electronic resources. Ms. Babecki also coordinates activities related to drug testing in hair and other body fluids and tissues.
Albert Avila, Ph.D.
Deputy to Training Coordinator
(301) 443-1887
Mark Caulder, M.S., M.P.H.
Health Program Specialist
(301) 443-1887
Ananth Charya, M.S.P.H.
Health Program Specialist
(301) 443-1887
Christie Espinoza
Program Analyst
(301) 435-0914
As a Program Analyst for the Division, Ms. Espinoza is responsible for collecting, organizing and analyzing data about the Division's portfolio of grants to prepare reports for the Division such as the Operations Planning Report, the Division's Annual Report, Government Performance and Review Act reports, and others related to funding and program activities. Ms. Baxter also develops and coordinates arrangements for workshops, meetings, and seminars sponsored by the Division. Ms. Espinoza is also the NIDA representative to the NIH Tracking and Inclusion Committee. She is responsible for ensuring that sex/gender and race/ethnicity requirements are adhered to by all NIDA grantees, contractors and intramural researchers. Ms. Espinoza advises program officers and principal investigators about the NIH requirements for human subjects research.
Myriam Selmane
Program Analyst
(301) 443-1887
As a Program Analyst for the Division, Ms. Selmane is responsible for developing the administrative and technical procedures for the Division. She assists in the processing and referral of grant applications for the Division. She creates a quarterly database of the DBNBR grants to be reviewed within all the three cycles of the review process. She is also responsible for keeping track of the schedules, meetings, appointments of the Director and Deputy Director; setting up meetings and arranging travel. She is responsible for tracking the Division's travel budget and purchasing office supplies. She is the liaison for the Director and Deputy Director in their absence and maintains contact with them. She coordinates activities among the various Branches of DBNBR and the Director's office. Ms. Selmane also develops and coordinates arrangements for workshops, meetings, and seminars sponsored by the Division. She keeps track of the official correspondence between DBNBR with the office of the Director of NIDA. Ms. Selmane is a District of Columbia Notary Public.
Joyce Williams
Program Analyst
(301)443-1887
Joyce Williams joined the National Institute on Drug Abuse in 1988. She serves as a program analyst in the Division of Basic Neuroscience and Behavioral Research, Office of the Director. In this position she is responsible for tracking and analyzing the Divisions operating budget. She represents the division in a liaison capacity with the Management Services and Analysis Branch staff. Ms. Williams provides support to the Director and Deputy Director on special projects. Ms. Williams actively participates in the NIDA Neuroscience workgroup where she represents NIDA at the NIH's planning committee for the annual Neuroscience Meeting. She organizes, plans, coordinates and manages the logistics for NIDA's involvement at the Neuroscience Meeting yearly. She is the NIDA representative for the IntraMall activities.
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