The NIDA International Program has selected two postdoctoral researchers from Morocco and Vietnam to receive INVEST Drug Use and Addiction Research Fellowships:
Nezha Bouhaddou, Ph.D. (Morocco), will spend her INVEST Fellowship in Dr. Peter Kalivas’ lab in the Department of Neuroscience at the Medical University of South Carolina. Her research aims to understand how cannabis interacts with stress responses, induces immobility, and affects neuronal subpopulations. By analyzing changes in synaptic plasticity, neuronal activity, and behavioral responses, her work aims to improve understanding and treatment strategies for comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorders. During her fellowship, Dr. Bouhaddou will use advanced imaging techniques and transgenic rats to explore the accumbens-ventral pallidum circuit and tetrapartite synapses. Under Dr. Kalivas’ supervision, this research will provide insights into the complex interactions between cannabis, stress, and neuroplasticity, potentially leading to more effective therapeutic approaches. The technological skills and knowledge gained during this fellowship will be instrumental in advancing research and facilitating technological transfer to her home university, enhancing research capabilities in Morocco.
Diep Nguyen, Ph.D. (Vietnam), will serve as an INVEST Fellow under the mentorship of Steven Shoptaw, Ph.D., at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Nguyen is currently a researcher at the Center for Training and Research on Substance Abuse — HIV and a lecturer in the Department of Epidemiology at Hanoi Medical University. Her research focuses on implementing clinical trials and adapting evidence-based intervention models to support individuals with substance use disorders. During her INVEST Fellowship, Dr. Nguyen aims to explore the key implementation challenges associated with long-acting injectable buprenorphine (LAIB) and to lay the groundwork for its future adoption as a treatment option in Vietnam, a low- and middle-income country with stringent policies on substance abuse. She plans to conduct a scoping review and gather qualitative data on the facilitators and barriers to providing LAIB for individuals with opioid use disorders. Additionally, she will be involved in ongoing clinical trials with Dr. Shoptaw’s team and will initiate an NIH-grant application to adapt LAIB in Vietnam. This research will contribute to identifying optimal implementation strategies for LAIB, benefiting not only Vietnam but also the United States and other countries facing similar challenges.