EBPS – Pre-meeting Summer School on Addiction Research

August 15-21, 2023

Organizer: Rainer Spanagel and Wolfgang Sommer, Central Institute of Mental Health (ZI) Mannheim, Germany – Institute of Psychopharmacology

Topic 2023: Translational Addiction Research – A Systems-Oriented Approach: From Genes to Brain to Behavior

Objectives: To educate PhD and MD students, as well as young post-docs, to become a new generation of addiction researchers. Participants will be educated and trained on different system levels from genes to the cellular to large network level towards behavior – all in a translational perspective. We will also have a focus on animal research combined with ethical issues and open science (6Rs); i.e., The principle of the 3Rs (Replace, Reduce and Refine) is extended to the 6Rs principle, which is Robustness, Registration, and Reporting.

Where: The venue side and accommodation is in Heidelberg,

How to apply and costs: Please send a personal statement of interest (max. 1 page) and your CV to rainer.spanagel@zi-mannheim.de. Deadline is 15th of June, 2023. If you are selected as a participant of the summerschool all costs for  accomodation and meals are at the expense of the organizer. THIS ONE-WEEK COURSE IS FREE OF CHARGE! However, you will have to pay for your own travel expenses.

Program

Day 1 (15th) – Animal Research & Open Science

  • Natascha Drude – Towards 6Rs and the QUEST Center for Responsible Research
  • Francesca Petetta – Public perception of laboratory animal testing: Historical, philosolphical, and ethical view
  • Marcus Meinhardt/Sabine Chourbaji  – The Rhine Neckar 3R center
  • Björn Gerlach – How to enhance quality in preclinical research – the EQIPD system
  • Gordon Feld – Open science and Translation
  • Interactive Panel Discussion

Day 2 (16th) – What is Addiction? A Systems Perspective

  • Rainer Spanagel – A Systems Perspective in Addiction Research
  • Patrick Bach – Neuroimaging in AUD and neuroenhancement
  • Angelo Bifone – Multimodal neuroimaging in rodents

Day 3-4 (17 & 18th) – Effects of Drugs of Abuse in iPSCs and organoids, Multiomics in Addiction Research

  • Anita Hansson/Rainer Spanagel – Presentation of an experimental work plan
  • Lea Zillich/Eric Poisel/Stefanie Witt – Biobank, multiomics and data analyses
  • Translational Animal Neuroimaging/Human Neuroimaging and data analysis
  • Rick Bernardi/Tobias Buchborn – Animal models of addiction
  • Malin Schmid/Annasara Artiolo/Raquel Perez Fernandez – iPSCs and organoids

Day 5 (19th) – Treatment Approaches

  • Tobias Buchborn – Psychedelics and alcohol addiction
  • Jorge Manzanares – The endocannabinoid system, a treatment target?
  • Valery Grinevich – The oxytocin system and its role in physiology and pathophysiology

Day 6 (20th) – Break

Day 7 (21st) – Studying Addiction in Animals

  • Nazzareno Cannella – The 3-crit model of addiction
  • Yavin Shaham – Incubation of drug-seeking
  • Wolfgang Sommer – Translation of preclinical findings and novel treatment targets