Tulane/Xavier Center for Substance Abuse
Research and Prevention
The Louisiana Board of
Regents has funded a five-year, $2.9 million grant from Louisiana’s
Millennium Health Excellence Fund to establish the Tulane/Xavier Center for
Substance Abuse and Prevention. The primary objective of the Center is to
improve the health and well being of Louisiana residents through development of
strategies to prevent substance abuse. Research objectives of the Center will
focus on four main initiatives, including: development of new pharmaceutical
approaches for prevention of substance abuse and for control of pain in opiate
addicts; deepening understanding of the neural mechanisms of substance abuse;
development of novel drug delivery systems; and assessment and development of
strategies for prevention of prescription drug abuse. Three XU College of
Pharmacy faculty members – Dr. Wayne Harris, Dr. Harold Komiskey and Dr.
Tarun Mandal – were awarded $1.1 million of the grant. Dr. Harris will
investigate methods of assessing patterns of prescription drug abuse and
develop strategies for prevention. This outcome-based research would form the
basis for a new type of dialogue between pharmacists and physicians in the
treatment of chronic pain and substance abuse. Komiskey will study the effect
of psychostimulants – such as methamphetamine – on the brain. Mandal
will develop sustained release formulation for the treatment of drug abuse. Dr.
Richard Harlan of the Tulane University Health Science Center will serve as
director of the Center.
Xavier Contact:
Wayne Harris, Ph.D.
Tulane
Contact: Richard Harlan,
Ph.D. |
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A model of how endogenous peptides
(endomorphins, EM) discovered at Tulane University help to control
pain. |
