Determining The Impacts Of COVID-19 Restrictions On People Who Use Drugs
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$429,228.00
Summary
COVID-19 has resulted in unparalleled government interventions to close borders and restrict social interactions which have major implications for illicit drug supply, procurement and use practices, as well as responses. People who use drugs will be profoundly impacted by COVID-19 and so our study will leverage existing data collections to compare drug use practices and consequences before, during and after the COVID-19 interventions to determine COVID-19 impacts on people who use drugs.
Understanding Sex Differences In Alcohol Use Disorder: The Role Of Stress And Neuropeptides
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$692,106.00
Summary
Alcohol use disorders (AUD) are an emerging issue in women, yet there is little understanding of the how the male and female brains differ in response to excessive alcohol consumption. In pilot studies, we have found that deletion of a specific brain chemical causes differences in the way male and female mice consume alcohol in excess. We will further characterise this system and test new approaches to reduce the desire to consume alcohol.
Emerging Drugs Network Of Australia: A Coordinated Toxicosurveillance System Of Illicit Drug Use In Australia To Enable Rapid Detection And Harm Reduction Responses Via An Early Warning System
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,722,731.00
Summary
The Emerging Drugs Network of Australia brings together emergency physicians, toxicologists and forensic laboratories across the country to build a national surveillance and early warning system of illicit and emerging drugs. Our innovative approach will use laboratory confirmed data to identify the specific drugs resulting in emergency department presentations, and use this information to inform rapid, evidence-based public health responses to reduce further drug-related harm in the community.
Unravelling The Behavioural And Brain Mechanisms Of Compulsive Disorders, And New Ways To Treat Them
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$635,076.00
Summary
Disorders of compulsion, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and substance use disorder, are chronic, debilitating, and present a significant cost to the individual and to society. Together, these disorders affect more than 10% of the population. Moreover, 40-60% of these individuals are resistant to current treatment. The current project is aimed at improving the preclinical research underlying our understanding the behavioural and brain mechanisms of such disorders and how to treat them.