Alcohol Research Training Program
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) research training program on alcohol etiology and treatment features both postdoctoral and predoctoral opportunities for scholars interested in alcohol use and misuse, as well as in the treatment of alcohol use disorders.
Program Overview
The Research Training on Alcohol Etiology and Treatment program offers interdisciplinary training in the etiology and course of alcohol use and misuse, as well as the treatment for alcohol use disorders.
Our program hosts eight trainees, four at the predoctoral level (Participating programs include Community Health and Health Behavior, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Psychology, and Social Work) and four at the postdoctoral level. The predoctoral training is a four-year commitment, which is the average duration of doctoral training for most of our programs. Psychology fellows will enter the program in year two, as the duration of their program is seven years, concluding with a clinical internship.
Trainees will have the guidance of qualified mentors as they develop and pursue their independent research objectives. Mentors are assigned based on areas of research interest, faculty resources and availability, and specific expertise that would benefit a fellow.
Program background
Established in 2000 through a National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism grant of nearly $1.2 million, the training program has been renewed in 2005 ($1.7 million), in 2010 ($1.76 million), in 2016 ($2 million), and most recently was renewed in 2021 with a $1.7 million grant.
Predoctoral Research Training and Activities
Each mentor provides detailed training in conceptualization, methodology, and ethics of research in the trainee's primary area of study. Trainees will also participate in a core curriculum, as well as have an opportunity to participate in a supplemental curriculum. The core curriculum consists of three components, listed below in detail, that include:
- a one credit course each semester
- T32 Nationwide Collaborative Seminar
- Formal didactic coursework
CHB 620: Special Topics (1 credit each academic semester)
- Foundations of Interdisciplinary Alcohol Research - this seminar is designed to provide information on alcohol research, with coverage of topics that pertain to etiology and treatment.
- Seminal Articles in Alcohol Studies - monthly round table session in which trainees and other interested faculty read and discuss seminal articles in the alcohol field, as well as broader articles that have been influential in alcohol research.
- Grant Writing - ongoing training to prepare all trainees to write career-appropriate federal funding grant applications (i.e. F32 for predoctoral level and K01/Kl2 for postdoctoral level).
- Statistics Workshops - workshop topics include mixed modeling regression, power analysis, sample size determination, and ordinal data analyses.
- Professional Issues and Career Development - this seminar includes topics related to the development of a professional career, including developing a vita, publishing, determination of authorship, reviewing manuscripts and grant applications, applying for jobs and negotiating offers, teaching, mentoring, leadership, management, and maintaining a balance between professional goals and personal life.
T32 Nationwide Seminar Series
The seminar series includes virtual webinars that occur 3 times per fall and spring semesters. Senior faculty from Universities, Research Centers, Government agencies, present on their work. Attendees are pre-, and postdoctoral trainees from other NIAAA training programs. Faculty mentors are also invited to attend. Seminars are recorded and available by request to the training directors.
Formal Coursework
In addition to the workshops and seminars described above, all trainees will take the following:
- 3 credit graduate course in ethics (CHB 520: Public Health Ethics: An Interdisciplinary Exploration).
- All predoctoral trainees will take at least one 3 credit course in addictions (Psychology students will take PSY 830: Psychology of Drug Addiction - Theory, Assessment and Treatment; Social Work students will take SW 587: Addiction in the Family; Public Health students will take CHB 500: Public Health and the Addictions).
Postdoctoral Research Training and Activities
Postdocs will have a primary and secondary mentor. Each mentor provides detailed training in conceptualization, methodology, and ethics of research in the trainee's primary area of study. Trainees will also participate in a core curriculum, as well as have an opportunity to participate in a supplemental curriculum. The core curriculum consists of three components, listed below in detail, that include:
• a one credit course each semester
• T32 Nationwide Collaborative Seminar
• Formal didactic coursework in research ethics
CHB 620: Special Topics (1 credit each academic semester)
1. Foundations of Interdisciplinary Alcohol Research - this seminar is designed to provide information on alcohol research, with coverage of topics that pertain to etiology and treatment.
2. Seminal Articles in Alcohol Studies - monthly round table session in which trainees and other interested faculty read and discuss seminal articles in the alcohol field, as well as broader articles that have been influential in alcohol research.
3. Grant Writing - ongoing training to prepare all trainees to write career-appropriate federal funding grant applications (i.e. F32 for predoctoral level and K01/Kl2 for postdoctoral level).
4. Statistics Workshops - workshop topics include mixed modeling regression, power analysis, sample size determination, and ordinal data analyses.
5. Professional Issues and Career Development - this seminar includes topics related to the development of a professional career, including developing a vita, publishing, determination of authorship, reviewing manuscripts and grant applications, applying for jobs and negotiating offers, teaching, mentoring, leadership, management, and maintaining a balance between professional goals and personal life.
T32 Nationwide Collaborative Seminar
The seminar series includes virtual webinars that occur 3 times per fall and spring semesters. Senior faculty from Universities, Research Centers, Government agencies, present on their work. Attendees are pre-, and postdoctoral trainees from other NIAAA training programs. Faculty mentors are also invited to attend. Seminars are recorded and available by request to the training directors.
Formal Coursework
In addition to the workshops and seminars described above, all trainees will take the following:
1. 3 credit graduate course in ethics (CHB 520: Public Health Ethics: An Interdisciplinary Exploration).
Faculty
Our faculty come from diverse yet complimentary disciplines such as psychology, social work public health and the psychobiological sciences. All faculty have extensive alcohol research experience and are productive researchers with current grants or substantial external support.
Kenneth E. Leonard, PhD
Senior Research Scientist; Professor of Psychiatry
Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions
Phone: (716) 887-2509
Email: kleonard@buffalo.edu
Phone: (716) 645-0193
Email: jpread@buffalo.edu
Phone: (716) 645-0190
Email: ccolder@buffalo.edu
Phone: (716) 829-2071
Email: ddietz@buffalo.edu
Phone: (716) 887-2596
Email: stasiewi@buffalo.edu
Christopher Barrick, PhD
Associate Professor, School of Nursing
Caroline Bass, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Arin Bhattacharjee, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Elizabeth Bowen, PhD
Assistant Professor, School of Social Work
Stewart Clark, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
R. Lorraine Collins, PhD
Associate Dean for Research
Professor, Department of Community Health and Health Behavior
David Dietz, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Kurt Dermen, PhD
Senior Research Scientist, Department of Psychiatry
Peter Elkin, MD
Professor and Chairman, Department of Biomedical Informatics
Professor of Internal Medicine
Larry Hawk, PhD
Professor, Department of Psychology
Andrew Hyland, PhD
Chair, Department of Health Behavior
Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Greg Loney, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
Paul Meyer, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
Jeffrey Miecznikowski, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Biostatistics
Richard O'Connor, PhD
Professor, Oncology
Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Dr. Roh-Yu Shen, PhD
Senior Research Scientist, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Paul Stasiewicz, PhD
Professor, School of Social Work
Jennifer Temple, PhD
Professor
Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences
Peter Thanos, PhD
Senior Research Scientist, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Stephen T. Tiffany, PhD
Empire Innovation Professor, Department of Psychology
Greg Wilding, PhD
Chair and Professor, Department of Biostatistics
How to Apply
POSTDOCTORAL POSITIONS AVAILABLE
We currently have a postdoctoral position available. See information below for how to apply.
Interested individuals are encouraged to contact co-directors Kenneth E. Leonard or Gregory G. Homish in advance of submitting materials.
Applications including a vita, representative reprints, three letters of reference, and a cover letter expressing research interests and training goals may be sent to Brandon Kuhn at bjkuhn@buffalo.edu.
Alcohol Research Postdoctoral Training Committee
Department of Community Health and Health Behavior
State University of New York at Buffalo
322 Kimball Tower
Buffalo, NY 14214
Applicants must be citizens or noncitizen nationals of the U.S. or must have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence. AA/EOE.
Application due
- May 15 | Predoctoral applicants apply by May 15 for the August start.
- Postdoctoral applicants apply on a rolling basis with a flexible start date.