E-news

Number 19, January 2008

HIGHLIGHTS OF CURRENT FELLOWS

NIDA Hosts Orientation for INVEST and Humphrey Fellows
A diverse group of 26 researchers, policymakers, and treatment providers from 22 nations visited NIDA this month to learn about the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the public health perspective on drug abuse. Despite their diverse backgrounds and research interests, each individual was invited to a NIDA International Program orientation for Hubert H. Humphrey and NIDA INVEST Drug Abuse Research Fellows, which was held on January 24-25, 2008. Representatives from NIDA Divisions, Programs, and Centers discussed the Institute's international research activities and funding priorities, before meeting with the Fellows individually or in small groups to discuss structuring future research projects and identifying potential collaborators. The Fellows also toured the Mark O. Hatfield Clinical Research Center, National Library of Medicine, and Fogarty International Center on the NIH campus. INVEST Fellows spend 12 months conducting postdoctoral research with a NIDA grantee at a U.S. institution. Humphrey Fellows spend 10 months in mentored academic study as part of the U.S. Department of State Fulbright program; NIDA cosponsors the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowships in Drug Abuse Research at Virginia Commonwealth University. Interested Humphrey Fellows from programs at Johns Hopkins University and Emory University also participated in the orientation.

NIDA hosted INVEST and Humphrey Drug Abuse Research Fellows from 22 nations in January. Participants included (left to right, sitting): Abeyah Alomair, Saudi Arabia; Jejamaije Mujoro, Namibia; Akiko Shimamoto, INVEST Fellow from Japan; Odontsetseg Dogsomjav, Mongolia; Hailiman, China; Rania Abou Elenein, Egypt; (left to right, standing in middle row): Boonsiri Junsirimongkol, Thailand; Arian Boci, Albania; Fatima El Omari, Morocco; Zar Ni Soe, Myanmar; Marisa Felicissimo. Brazil; Kum Shawng, Burma; Julius Zelothe, Tanzania; Hoang Huy Vu, Vietnam; Adhi Wibowo Nurhidayat, INVEST Fellow from Indonesia; Dana Avramescu, Romania; Dale Weiss, NIDA International Program; Jiang Du, INVEST Fellow from China; Anara Doolotova, Kyrgyz Republic; Wenhua Zhou, INVSET Fellow from China; Sung Jin Cho, INVEST Fellow from Korea; (left to right, standing in back row): Chencho Dorji, Bhutan; Boniface Hlabano, Zimbabwe; Omar Omar Mohamed, Kenya; Mikhail Volik, Russia; Randy Koch, Johns Hopkins University; and Steve Gust, NIDA International Program.