The University of Colorado Anschutz Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has received a new $6.1 million, five-year P30 Center Core grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to support the Omics, Systems Genetics, and the Addictome (OSGA) Center, advancing research into the biological mechanisms underlying substance use disorders. The Center is a joint project with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, bringing together expertise in genetics, computational science, and substance use disorder research. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, substance use disorders affect an estimated 48.4 million people in the United States age 12 and older, underscoring the need for research that deepens understanding of the genetic and biological factors involved in addiction.
Led by Principal Investigator and OSGA Center Co-Director Laura Saba, PhD, professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at CU Anschutz Pharmacy, the center empowers researchers to use big data approaches to investigate the biological factors associated with substance use and misuse, relapse risk, and treatment efficacy. By connecting scientific expertise with shared datasets and computational resources, OSGA helps researchers identify and investigate relationships that could lead to new discoveries.
“This NIH P30 Center grant is the first of its kind at our School. These large interdisciplinary awards are a powerful example of what can happen when we dream big and bring together exceptional minds across disciplines and institutions,” said Brian Tsuji, PharmD, dean of CU Anschutz Pharmacy. “Under Dr. Laura Saba’s leadership, this grant will not only advance our understanding of the complex biology of addiction but also strengthen our culture of synergy catalyzed by large interdisciplinary center grants right here on the CU Anschutz campus. This is exactly the kind of bold, collaborative science that has the potential to transform how we understand, prevent and ultimately treat substance use disorders.”
The Center's work is built on three pillars: community, data and tools. Through these pillars, the OSGA fosters collaboration among substance use disorder researchers, provides access to valuable biological datasets and develops computational approaches that help scientists analyze complex information and generate new research questions. Together, these resources strengthen the broader research community's ability to study the complex biology of addiction.
“By synergizing with diverse research groups, we can combine expertise, expand the possibilities of data-driven discovery, and enable researchers to pursue scientific questions they might not otherwise be equipped to address,” Saba said.
The OSGA’s work has strong institutional backing. Thomas Flaig, MD, vice chancellor for research at CU Anschutz; Manisha Patel, PhD, associate dean for research and graduate studies at CU Anschutz Pharmacy; and Blake Hill, PhD, chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at CU Anschutz Pharmacy, are providing additional financial support, demonstrating their shared commitment to advancing the Center’s work and strengthening addiction research.
OSGA also offers valuable training opportunities for researchers across the CU Anschutz campus. Its webinar series focuses on educational topics in omics, quantitative genetics and data analysis, rather than individual research projects. The goal is to make foundational concepts and methods more accessible, helping students and researchers build the knowledge they need to use these tools and technologies in studying the genetics of substance use disorders.
“Graduate students first entering a lab and trying to catch up on the terminology and techniques can use these resources to learn at their own pace. It is a way to quickly onboard students and trainees new to quantitative genetics and omics technologies,” Saba said. The webinars also help experienced faculty and researchers expand their knowledge, offering a simple way to be introduced to technologies, techniques, and resources and to learn how they can be applied in their work.
By making biological data, computational tools and research expertise more accessible to scientists, the OSGA is building an interactive community and a foundation for future discoveries in substance use disorder research. These shared resources empower researchers to investigate new questions, uncover biological mechanisms, and generate insights that could ultimately inform more effective prevention and treatment strategies for addiction.