Clinical Research and Potential Areas and Approaches for Scholars
The K12 Research in Addictions Scholars Program (KRASP) supports the development of faculty who wish to conduct rigorous clinically-related research with a focus on substance use, substance use disorders, and the consequences of this use. Clinical research is viewed in a broad and encompassing sense for these purposes, and can include clinical trials, patient-oriented research, epidemiology and behavioral studies, outcomes research and health services research*. Applicants are encouraged to think in broad terms.
The KRASP is supported by NIDA, and while applicants can consider a variety of abusable drugs for their work, a primary focus on alcohol is generally not supported by funding from NIDA. However, a secondary focus on alcohol (e.g., the combination of cannabis and alcohol use) is within the scope of this program. Other drugs of abuse, including emerging drugs, can be the focus for an applicant.
Epidemiologic and natural history studies, translational research, patient-oriented research, clinical trials, and outcomes research are all possible types of research supported through this award*.
Clinically-related research embraces a spectrum of scientific disciplines (medicine, surgery, dentistry, nursing, pharmacology, statistics, psychology, engineering) that are employed by health professionals, often in specialties and sub-specialties (e.g., internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, psychiatry, oncology, cardiology, neurology, and others) using a variety of study methodologies (e.g., epidemiology, observational, experimental, and others). Clinically-related research can be a complex endeavor, and certain types of studies and approaches are best performed by a multidisciplinary team using an integrated team approach. A multidisciplinary approach brings experts from different disciplines (for example, clinician, clinical researcher, clinical trialist, statistician, medicinal chemist, and pharmacologist) to address collectively a common complex problem.
There is a well-recognized shortage of well-trained physicians and other health professionals performing clinical research in a rigorous, highly collaborative, team-oriented environment.
*Scholars who pursue a preclinical translational project are strongly encouraged to use laboratory techniques to inform investigations of a clinical population. These scholars will be encouraged to consider answering clinically relevant questions by integrating clinical and laboratory-derived data.