The Vanderbilt AUD Research and Education Center (VAREC), supported by the National institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, brings together researchers and educators to combat alcohol use disorder with research, education, and community outreach. Research within the center combines human and preclinical studies that focus on refining our understanding of the neural mechanisms that give rise to AUD. Work within the center spans both research and education with a focus on:
-
1
Understanding the neural basis of alcohol use disorder through cutting-edge, cross- species research.
-
2
Disseminating information to the public to have an immediate impact and promote prevention.
-
3
Providing training in the application of innovative technical approaches for the scientific community.
Courses
Training courses are virtual (with in-person options coming soon) and focus on using optical imaging to understand neural dynamics in awake and behaving animals and implementing operant self-administration approaches for alcohol drinking in mice.
Projects
This center focuses on bringing together human and preclinical researchers to first define the neural dysfunction underlying endophenotypes in humans, second to use mouse models that allow for mechanistic insight into these same phenotypes, and third to use this understanding to further refine our understanding of the human condition.
Research
In addition to conducting high-impact science on AUD, VAREC is focused on keeping people educated and informed about the latest advances in alcohol research by providing access to discoveries, papers, and resources.