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N.I.D.A. T32

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Program Technologist Training
Since 2002 the McLean Imaging Center has been the site of a NIDA T32 Postdoctoral Training Grant that is aimed at additional training for scientists who are interested in merging drug abuse with imaging. We train postdoctoral fellows in an integrated, multidisciplinary Drug Abuse and Brain Imaging Training Program (DABITP) that is jointly supported by the McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School and now the Martinos Center for Imaging at the Massachusetts General Hospital. The 3-year postdoctoral training program is structured to provide trainees with the fundamentals of MRI, fMRI, MRS, DTI, PET, NIRS and EEG measures of brain function with an emphasis on applications towards understanding drug abuse (year 1). This is followed by placement in one of four distinctly designed research tracks:
1) MR Technology and Instrumentation Track;
2) Basic Clinical Research Track;
3) Clinical Treatment Track; and
4) Translational Imaging Track.

The program offers a number of mentors with diverse backgrounds who can provide training within each of these main tracks at a variety of sites and because of the extensive collaborations already present, trainees are helped to personalize their career path by working with primary and secondary mentors who are at different physical locations. Successful placement of each trainee with his or her desired mentor is decided after a series of two to three month lab rotations that are completed during the first year of the program. The didactic coursework in brain imaging and psychopharmacology of drugs of abuse and active research experience is coupled with practical �hands on� experience in the various laboratories. Trainees also attend weekly neuroscience research seminars, Brain Imaging Center Seminars, monthly seminars on Responsible Conduct of Research and receive concentrated instruction and protected time to write papers, abstracts for presentation at CPDD (that is held in June of each year) and extensive training on grant writing. All trainees are given materials to assist them with the preparation of their first grant application as a PI, which begins at the end of the second year of postdoctoral training.

Those interested in applying for one of these fellowships should contact Wendy Tartarini at wtartarini@mclean.harvard.edu.