Center for Addiction Research & Education

Welcome to UF’s Center for Addiction Research & Education (CARE)!  We are proud that CARE is one of the oldest continuing University-wide Centers at UF and that it has undergone a re-vitalization in recent years with an expanded mission and as addiction science established a larger footprint at UF.  Our membership includes faculty from 7 colleges and 16 departments across both the main and HSC campuses. We have over 50 faculty (Full) members (at the time of this writing) and over 70 trainee (Affiliate) members!   Our investigators have active research programs in highly diverse domains; ranging from molecular neuroscience and drug discovery through epidemiology and clinical trials. While most of our faculty focus on the addictive disorders and their comorbid conditions, a number examine substance use, more broadly, for example, studying social drinking in older adults or developmental trajectories across adolescence. In short, we are a group of highly diverse investigators who are committed to understanding the biological, psychological and social correlates and consequences of substance use and addictive behaviors.

As you review our site, you’ll see that we offer on-going programs through our monthly seminar series and host an Annual Symposium each Spring.  Each Spring Symposium is centered on a timely theme.  In 2019, our theme was “Opioids” featuring Drs. Brigitte Kieffer & R. Kathryn McHugh. The 2021 Annual Symposium is scheduled for April 20, 2021 –  Visit our Annual Symposium page for more information.

You’ll also notice that we have a number of links to participating departments, current addiction-related training grants, and funding sources.  We also have information describing our current committees and their membership.  If you are a new UF faculty member, a student or trainee exploring opportunities, or a community member who wants more information, we hope you’ll check them out. If you are interested in being on our notification listserv, please click here to complete the sign-up form.

Finally, as I am sure you are aware, addiction and related disorders represent a significant threat to individuals, families and their communities. It is only through the collaborative efforts of diverse programmatic research that we can understand the contributing processes and define more effective prevention, intervention, and recovery programs.  CARE is committed to facilitating these kinds of collaborations. We are fortunate to have time-limited, generous support from the McKnight Brain Institute, the Senior Vice President for Health Affairs, Department of Psychiatry, and Department of Pharmacodynamics. But, to meet the magnitude of this problem and sustain our unique capacity, we must also rely on donations from a concerned community. These donations are handled through the UF Foundation, and are tax deductible within current legal constraints.  No matter the amount of your gift, it will be appreciated! (UF Foundation Donation Page)

Again, thank you for visiting our website! And please do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions or need additional information.

Sara Jo Nixon, PhD, Director