The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has reorganized its divisional structure to integrate its research portfolio, promote translational research and increase efficiencies. The new structure will incorporate research on clinical neuroscience, brain development and behavioral treatment development into existing and newly formed components of NIDA divisions. NIDA is part of the National Institutes of Health.
5/13/16 - NIDA has reorganized its divisional structure to integrate its research portfolio, promote translational research and increase efficiencies. The new structure incorporates research on clinical neuroscience, brain development and behavioral treatment development into existing and newly formed components of NIDA divisions.
"We believe the reorganization will allow us to take advantage of new scientific opportunities, especially those addressing multidisciplinary and translational science," said NIDA Director Nora D. Volkow, M.D.
In May of this year, the NIDA organizational structure was evaluated by a NIDA Advisory Council Workgroup in light of overall reduced staffing and emerging scientific priorities. "The workgroup noted that advances in addiction neuroscience have outpaced or rivaled those achieved for any other brain disease," said John Rotrosen, M.D., professor of psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine and Workgroup Chair. "Given these developments, the workgroup encouraged NIDA leadership to embrace an organizational structure that would strengthen functional integration throughout NIDA and continue to emphasize translational neuroscience, brain development, and neurobehavioral interventions research as core elements of NIDA's mission."
In response to the workgroup’s recommendations, which were reviewed by the NIDA Advisory Council and received the Council’s concurrence, portions of the Division of Clinical Neuroscience and Behavioral Research (DCNBR) will join the Division of Basic Neuroscience and Behavioral Research to form the Division of Neuroscience and Behavior. This division will develop a neuroscience research program spanning molecular biology, chemistry, pharmacology, genetics and epigenetics, as well as integrative, functional, behavioral and cognitive neuroscience.
DCNBR’s behavioral treatment development portfolio will join the Division of Pharmacotherapies and Medical Consequences of Drug Abuse to form the Division of Therapeutics and Medical Consequences (DTMC). DTMC will now address the full range of treatment development, including a focus on how behavioral interventions and combined treatments could target brain circuits responsible for addiction.
DCNBR’s remaining portfolio focusing on treatment delivery and services research, along with their portfolio on brain development and addiction etiology, will become part of the Division of Epidemiology, Services and Prevention Research, which will allow it to integrate research at the intersection of biological and social systems.
Coinciding with the launch of the landmark Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, these changes will help to infuse a focus on neurodevelopment throughout NIDA’s programs. The new organizational structure will also encourage scientific integration through trans-divisional research teams addressing crosscutting themes and emerging priorities.
These new structures go into effect Oct. 1, 2015. See the current organizational chart here: https://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/organization.