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Mechanisms of Alcohol Pathology: A Collaborative Partnership between NCCU and UNC

Project Overview

This project is an application for the continuation of a cooperative agreement (U54), “Mechanisms of Alcoholic Pathology” (MAP), between faculties of the Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute (BBRI) and Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE) institutes at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), a  Historically Black College and University, and the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies (BCAS) at the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine.

This proposal represents a truly collaborative effort between the NCCU and UNC faculty, with both groups contributing significant effort and being essential to the success of this AHDRC Program. Within this proposal, an NCCU Administrative core, Mentoring and Development Core, and five Research Components will integrate with the UNC-ARC Administrative, Mentoring and Development Cores and Research Components, as well as other activities at the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies. 

The UNC-ARC investigates mechanisms of alcohol pathology across the spectrum of behavioral, tissue, and cellular pathologies that occur with alcohol exposure. This proposal will focus on cellular pathologies that easily integrate into the ongoing overall theme of the UNC-ARC. Thus, both the UNC-ARC research components and this U54 proposal are integrated around the central theme that alcohol-induced pathology involves molecular and cellular changes that occur with alcohol abuse and alcoholism. 

The objectives of this U54 partnership are as follows:

  1. To investigate molecular mechanisms of alcohol-induced cellular pathology.  By conducting an integrated and focused investigation into the molecular mechanisms of alcohol pathology, this proposal will make important contributions to understanding alcohol morbidity and will create an active and successful research program on alcohol pathology at NCCU.

  2. To provide scholarly education on alcohol pathology. The educational efforts in this proposal will involve NCCU undergraduate and graduate students through the BCAS seminar series, attendance and presentation of data at the annual RSA meeting, an alcohol seminar series hosted by NCCU, new course curricula on alcohol pathology developed by NCCU faculty with a focus on health disparities, and specific undergraduate student summer internships for NCCU students to study and learn about alcohol pathology and health disparities within laboratories in both institutions.

Ultimately, this proposal will conduct, promote, support, and mentor research into mechanisms of alcohol pathology, creating an active and successful alcohol research program within the NCCU-BBRI that synergizes with the UNC-ARC to advance education and discoveries.