NorthStar network for improving substance use disorder care
Official title: NorthStar Node of the NIDA Clinical Trials Network
Funded at Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute · NIH-11261106 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program runs clinical trials to test new treatments and care approaches for people with substance use disorders, with attention to groups often left out of research.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2015 |
| Project end | February 29, 2032 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $645,202 |
| NIH project number | 5UG1DA040316-12 |
| Project ID | NIH-11261106 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are people living with substance use disorders, including those with co-occurring mental or medical conditions, and especially individuals from underserved groups targeted by specific trials.
✕Less likely to help
People without substance use disorders, those who do not meet a particular trial's eligibility, or those far from participating sites may not receive direct benefits from this program.
What this research studies
You would be part of a network that runs clinical trials at hospitals and clinics to try new treatments, digital tools, and care models for substance use disorders. Researchers use methods like data science and artificial intelligence, implementation science to bring proven treatments into regular clinics, and novel options such as neuromodulation and psychedelic-assisted therapies. They partner with local communities and focus on including groups often left out of research, such as American Indian and Black communities. Which specific trials you could join depends on the site's ongoing studies and eligibility rules.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the network could bring more effective, accessible, and culturally relevant treatment options to people with substance use disorders.
How similar studies have gone: The CTN and the NorthStar node have led several prior trials with useful findings, and this program continues established trial work while adding newer approaches.
Where this research is happening
-
Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bart, Gavin — Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Bart, Gavin
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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.