Linking human and animal genetics to better understand addiction
Building Bridges to Allow Cross-species Translational genetics for the Study of Addiction
This project uses gene activity patterns to connect human genetic findings with animal models so scientists can learn more about what causes addiction.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11163522 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will combine large human genetic studies with experiments in animals and molecular data to find shared biological signals for addiction. They plan to convert human polygenic signals into comparable gene-expression patterns and test those patterns in model organisms. The team will use transcriptome data (how genes are turned on or off) to bridge species differences and highlight pathways that matter across humans and animals. This work tries to make genetic discoveries more useful for understanding disease mechanisms and for guiding future treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with a history of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, or opioid use disorder — or those willing to contribute genetic or biological data related to substance use — would be most relevant to the goals of this work.
Not a fit: Individuals seeking immediate clinical care or urgent addiction treatment should not expect direct, near-term benefits from this research project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reveal the biological pathways behind addiction and point to new targets for treatments or prevention.
How similar studies have performed: Large human GWAS and polygenic risk approaches have identified genetic regions linked to addiction, but applying transcriptome-based cross-species polygenic translation is a novel and largely untested approach.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sanchez Roige, Sandra — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Sanchez Roige, Sandra
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.