UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Consortium to Combat Substance Abuse (CCSA) is seeking to support interdisciplinary teams of Penn State researchers whose work is aimed at combating opioid and other substance abuse.

CCSA Interim Director Stephanie Lanza, professor of biobehavioral health and director of the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, said that Pennsylvania and the nation needs more research into this troubling epidemic.

“This call for proposals will seek research teams to conduct innovative, interdisciplinary and translational research to illuminate risk factors for substance use, abuse and addiction,” Lanza said.

Priority will be given to projects that make a convincing case for how the research can advance solutions to the systemic problems of substance abuse. Applications are particularly encouraged that map onto the University’s distinctive strengths in substance abuse research: pathways to addiction, criminal justice, and spillover effects to children, families and communities. Proposals may focus on any substance of abuse, including alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, prescription drug misuse, and other illicit drug use.

Both Level 1 and Level 2 letters of intent are due Jan. 15. For more information on the opportunity, visit the CCSA’s Funding Opportunities page.

The CCSA is housed in Penn State’s Social Science Research Institute, one of seven cross-University research institutes within the Office of the Vice President for Research.