The Addiction Neuroethics Unit is situated within the University of Queensland's Centre for Clinical Research in Brisbane, Australia

Roles of the project

1)      Collaboration with addiction neurobiologists and clinicians to review and explain cutting edge genetic and neurobiological research on addiction to policy makers and the community

2)      Interviewing of leading addiction practitioners to identify new treatments that are likely to arise from discoveries in genetics and neuroscience of addiction and assess their public health and ethical implications

3)      Explore the views of addiction treatment practitioners, policy makers in federal and state governments, drug users, people with addictions and family carers of addicted persons about neurobiological research on addiction and new treatments

4)      Use epidemiological and economic modeling to assess the likely effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of potential applications of addiction neurobiology (such as pharmacogenetics and preventative vaccination)

5)      Give comprehensive and accessible briefings to policy makers and politicians on analyses of the public health policy and ethical issues raised by genetic and neurobiological research on addiction

6)      Identify the most promising translational opportunities for neurobiological research on addiction