Addiction research clusters
- Key elements of addiction research clusters
- Clusters supported under this strategy
- How (and why) to get involved with a cluster
- Cluster development
- Funding clusters’ research
Key elements of addiction research clusters
A key part of the MRC-led addiction and substance misuse research strategy is the formation of clusters of experts from different disciplines and different institutions who, when brought together in a critical mass, will be able to make an impact in this area.
The MRC and the ESRC believe that this cluster approach will help to increase the capacity of the UK addiction research base and improve cross-disciplinary links. These changes are needed so that the major biological, social and medical problems in this field can be addressed collectively to advance the translation of research into real improvements in public health.
Clusters are comprised of individuals from different groups and institutions with excellent research track records in their own disciplines (not necessarily addiction). They are working together to address one or more shared research themes in addiction and substance misuse, using a multidisciplinary approach.
The overall aim of this strategy is to deliver research that develops new interventions or impacts policy or practice to improve public health in this field. It is expected that clusters will develop knowledge and outcomes relevant to public health implementation that will be part of the front-line of a cross-Government drive to reduce the harm caused by illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco and gambling.
Key elements of the clusters are:
- Collaboration between disciplines and institutions to address a common problem; combining social, medical and biological research.
- New expertise to build capacity.
- New questions to be addressed within the agreed addiction themes through improved access to expertise/infrastructure.
- Facilitating interdisciplinary research beyond the traditional MRC remit.
- Implementing findings through stakeholder support.
- Providing evidence for health care policy and practice.
Clusters supported under this strategy
Click on cluster leader name for further details. Alternatively, contact Gavin Malloch at the MRC
Contact: Gavin Malloch
Email: Gavin.Malloch@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk
Cluster Leader |
Research theme |
Title of application |
Professor Charles Abraham University of Sussex |
Alcohol/Cause |
Developing evidence-based behaviour change interventions and policies to reduce alcohol use and misuse among young people |
Professor W. Miles Cox |
Alcohol/Treatment |
Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Cluster: Developing Innovative Cognitive-Motivational and Neuroscientific Interventions for Alcohol Abuse |
Professor Colin Drummond |
Alcohol/Treatment |
Experimental and clinical research on treatment of alcohol misuse and dependence cluster (ECTAD) |
Professor Andy Furlong |
Cause |
Addictions in youth and young adulthood: Causes, trajectories and risk factors |
Dr Matthew Hickman |
Cause/Treatment |
Causes, epidemiology and prevention of substance use (and gambling) among young people |
Professor Martin McKee |
Alcohol/Treatment |
The REAP cluster: Research for Effective Alcohol Policies |
Dr Petra Meier |
Alcohol/Treatment |
Capacity development for Alcohol Policy Effectiveness Research (CAPER) |
Dr Tim Millar |
Harms/Alcohol |
Nationally Integrated Quantitative Understanding of Addiction Harms (NIQUAD) |
Professor David Nutt and ProfessorTrevor Robbins |
Treatment/Cause |
A two-university cluster for the study of aetiology and translation in addiction with partnerships |
Professor Gunter Schumann |
Cause/Treatment |
Functional Genomics and Identification of Biomarkers in Addictions |
Professor David Stephens |
Treatment/Cause |
GABAA receptors in neurobiology of drug and alcohol addictions (Causes of Addiction and Vulnerability Factors) |
How (and why) to get involved with a cluster
Stakeholders
Stakeholder engagement is a key part of this strategy for the following reasons:
1. Research undertaken by the clusters should address priority needs in public health. Clusters should be guided by stakeholders to determine these priorities and design research to address them.
2. It is expected that in many cases results emerging from cluster based research will impact on policy or practice, or lead to new interventions. The involvement of the relevant stakeholders early in the planning and delivery of research could fast-track implementation of findings and allow rapid translation of results into public health benefit.
Stakeholders wishing to get involved with one or more cluster should contact the relevant cluster leader directly.
Researchers
Cluster membership will often be a dynamic, evolving process of engaging new expertise to address novel questions.
Researchers in the UK and overseas are encouraged to contact cluster leaders to investigate collaborative opportunities.
Cluster development
Following their selection in July 2009, the 11 clusters were given six months and seed-corn funding of £5,000 to £10,000 to facilitate networking between researchers and stakeholders in order to develop their cluster and a research proposal for the 3rd call in this strategy.
During this period workshops and networking activities focused efforts to facilitate cross-fertilisation of ideas, methods, practices and technologies to encourage creative approaches to research, methodological and technological developments.
Funding clusters’ research
The third call for funding made four awards in April 2010 totalling £4.3m. This call was open exclusively to the 11 selected clusters, and was competitive between them.
Clusters that were unsuccessful in the third call for funding will retain badging and recognition if they submit a successful application for substantive grant funding through normal competitive routes within 24 months (i.e. by July 2011).
Within 24 months of cluster inception, each cluster should have submitted at least two applications for funding and have submitted at least one large-scale research project application to any relevant funding body. If funding has not been secured in 24 months, the MRC and the ESRC will cease to recognise the cluster.
Note: Ring-fenced funds will probably not be available beyond the third call. Clusters should apply for funding through normal competitive routes.