As Appalachia continues to face disproportionately high rates of substance use disorder and opioid overdose, East Tennessee State University is helping prepare the next generation of researchers to address one of the region’s most pressing public health challenges
On Aug. 5, thirteen undergraduate students from East Tennessee State University, the University of Tennessee, Virginia Tech and West Virginia University will present their research during the inaugural Summer Undergraduate Addiction Research Symposium.
The event marks the culmination of a 12-week immersive research experience through ETSU’s Summer Undergraduate Addiction Research Training Program in Central Appalachia
Supported by a five-year, $641,590 National Institute on Drug Abuse R25 grant, the program provides undergraduate students with faculty-mentored research experiences focused on addiction science and substance use challenges affecting rural communities throughout Appalachia.
The initiative builds on ETSU’s successful ETSU Mentored Substance Use Research (EMSUR) pilot program, launched in 2021. Ten of this summer’s participants are ETSU students
Working alongside 12 faculty mentors representing ETSU’s College of Public Health, Quillen College of Medicine, Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy and other academic units, students spent the summer conducting laboratory and population health research on topics ranging from addiction among veterans to the biological mechanisms underlying alcohol use disorder
“Addressing substance use disorders requires researchers who understand both the science and the communities most affected,” said Dr. Manik Ahuja, principal investigator of the grant and Associate Professor in the College of Public Health. “Through this program, students gain hands-on research experience while working alongside faculty and community partners to better understand the challenges facing Appalachia.”
“We hope these experiences inspire many of them to build careers improving health across the region.”
Ahuja is joined by ETSU Drs. Angela Hagaman and Brooke Schmeichel as co-investigators. Hagaman is co-director of ETSU’s Addiction Science Center in the College of Public Health, and Schmeichel is an associate professor in the Quillen College of Medicine’s Department of Biomedical Sciences.
In addition to conducting research, students participated in activities designed to connect science with practice, including visits to recovery centers and treatment facilities, overdose response training and discussions with individuals who have lived experience with substance use disorder
“Through hands-on research experiences, interdisciplinary mentorship and exposure to both basic science and community-based approaches, students gain a deeper understanding of substance use disorders and the scientific tools needed to address them,” said Schmeichel.
“The symposium not only celebrates the accomplishments of these undergraduate researchers, but also reflects ETSU’s commitment to developing innovative solutions and training a future workforce that will advance prevention, treatment and recovery efforts for individuals and communities affected by addiction,” Schmeichel continued.
As the flagship institution of Appalachia, ETSU is committed to developing the next generation of leaders and researchers equipped to address the region’s most pressing challenges
The Summer Undergraduate Addiction Research Training Program will continue each summer through 2030, recruiting undergraduate students from ETSU and partner institutions throughout Appalachia for immersive research experiences focused on addiction science
The inaugural Summer Undergraduate Addiction Research Symposium will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 5, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the D.P. Culp Student Center Ballroom. The call for the next round of applications will be released in early 2027 for the summer 2027 cohort.
Learn more about ETSU’s commitment to research at etsu.edu/trailblazers/. To learn more about EMSUR, visit emsur.org
