The groundbreaking discovery that adult cells can be reprogrammed into embryonic-like induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells has developed excitement for future innovative patient-specific cell and tissue regeneration therapies. iPS cells can develop into any desired cell type under appropriate conditions. For regenerative dentistry goals, deriving cranial neural crest (CNC) cells from iPS cells is an important step for future development of iPS-derived cranial-facial structure regeneration therapies.

Adolescent substance use is common and associated with both significant negative individual consequences and substantial costs to society. The proposed study will capitalize on a cost-effective opportunity to identify neurobiological mechanisms underlying risks for, and consequences of, adolescent substance use. Tests will be conducted in adolescents with high (n= 68) and low (n = 34) familial risk for substance use disorders, selected from a larger ongoing longitudinal study that is testing causal relationships between the development of impulse control and substance use.

Adolescent substance use is common and associated with both significant negative individual consequences and substantial costs to society. The proposed study will capitalize on a cost-effective opportunity to identify neurobiological mechanisms underlying risks for, and consequences of, adolescent substance use. Tests will be conducted in adolescents with high (n= 68) and low (n = 34) familial risk for substance use disorders, selected from a larger ongoing longitudinal study that is testing causal relationships between the development of impulse control and substance use.

The Serotonin Club, founded in 1987, is an international association for biomedical scientists who are interested in research on any aspect of serotonin. An important objective of the Club is to facilitate the involvement of young investigators, comprising students, post-doctoral fellows and junior researchers (less than 3 years past their post-doctoral fellowship) in an international high-quality scientific meeting withserotonin as its central theme.

Depression and related disorders are a major public health problem, compounded by the fact that at least half of patients are not effectively treated by currently available medications. Among the most commonly prescribed is the class of selective serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which act to inhibit 5-HT transporter (SERT) mediated 5-HT uptake. The increase in extracellular 5-HT that follows is thought to be critical for initiation of the cascade of downstream events needed for therapeutic effects.

The SwRI-developed human head surrogate and its test methodology show great potential for providing insights into injuries resulting from a variety of ballistic threats. With it, designers will be able to craft helmets that offer improved protection for warfighters.

The liver enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase is responsible for catabolism of excess phenylalanine in the diet. Deficiencies in levels of the enzyme result in the metabolic disorder phenylketonuria, a disease with devastating neurological consequences if untreated, demonstrating the physiological importance of the enzyme. Central to the proper function of phenylalanine hydroxylase is the regulation of the enzyme by its substrates, phenylalanine and tetrahydrobiopterin, and by phosphorylation. Both forms of regulation require the N-terminal ~117 residue regulatory domain.

This new application entitled 'Training in drug abuse research: behavior and neurobiology' requests five years of funding to support a maximum of four postdoctoral fellows per year for interdisciplinary training in drug and alcohol abuse. Fellows primarily engaged in drug and alcohol research take two required courses and attend seminars, journal clubs, an annual retreat, and monthly chalk talks.

Experimental evidence indicates that cannabis or ?9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) use precipitates psychotic symptoms and is associated with a greater risk to develop schizophrenia and worsen its outcome. These observations led to the formulation of the cannabinoid hypothesis of schizophrenia, which postulates that over-activity of the brain endocannabinoid system may contribute to the etiology of this pathology. Recent studies, however, have challenged this hypothesis: for example, drugs aimed at blocking cannabinoid CB1 receptor activity have failed as antipsychotics in clinical trials.

The proportion of underrepresented minorities (URMs) earning doctorate degrees in the basic biomedical sciences has increased modestly over the past few decades. Our proposed Program, the South Texas Advanced Research Training Undergraduate Program (START-UP) is a response to a Funding Opportunity Announcement from the Blueprint Program for Enhancing Neuroscience Diversity through Undergraduate Research Education Experiences (BP-ENDURE).