Cocaine and brain function. Susceptibility to alcoholism. Smoking and schizophrenia. Marijuana and stress. Dozens of research scientists from across New York State will discuss these issues and more at a neuroscience conference to be this weekend at UB’s Research Institute on Addictions (RIA).

The conference, “Neuroscience Research on Substance Abuse,” will bring together scientists from academic medical centers and science departments across the SUNY system to share their research interests on substance abuse and discuss ways to facilitate intercampus collaborations.

RIA is hosting and co-sponsoring the conference, being held Sept. 27-28 at RIA, 1021 Main St., Buffalo. Other sponsors are SUNY, UB, the Buffalo Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience and SUNY REACH (Research Excellence in Academic Health), a program to unify and advance the research vision of New York State’s public academic health centers and their integrated medical schools.

Conference events include presentations by scientists from various SUNY institutions, among them Stony Brook University, Binghamton University, SUNY Upstate and Downstate Medical centers and UB. In addition, there will be poster presentations, workshops and an evening gala with members of the Buffalo Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience.

“Neuroscience research on substance abuse is a recognized area of excellence in New York State, and UB has a strong contingent of researchers focused on this issue,” says Alexis Thompson, RIA senior research scientist and conference organizer. “Furthermore, this conference is timely and relevant in light of the Obama administration’s recent announcement of a new research initiative on brain activity.”

The Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) initiative was announced in April and has been designated a “grand challenge of the 21st century,” comparable to the Human Genome Project, by senior Obama administration scientists.

For more information on the conference, contact Thompson at athompso@ria.buffalo.edu.