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College on the Problems of Drug Dependence Highlights from the 67th Annual Meeting
Drug and Alcohol Dependence 81 (2006) 327–328
News and Views
College on the Problems of Drug Dependence Highlights from the 67th Annual Meeting CPDD Mentorship Award This award is given yearly to a member of CPDD who has been an exemplary mentor to developing researchers in the field of drug dependence.
For over 30 years, Dr. Dykstra has led an active research program, focusing on the behavioral pharmacology of opioid analgesics, both in relation to their pain-relieving properties as well as their tendency to produce tolerance and dependence. A more recent research interest of her laboratory is the investigation of behavioral phenotypes related to substance abuse using genetically altered mice. She has received continuous support for her research from the National Institute on Drug Abuse since 1977 and has been recognized with a Research Career Development Award, a Research Scientist Award and a MERIT award for her research contributions. Dr. Dykstra has held several professional leadership positions, including being President of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence. She is an elected member of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology and currently serves as Chair of the Behavioral Pharmacology Division of the American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and as Vice-President/President of the North Carolina Association of Biomedical Research. Introduction given by Alison Oliveto-Beaudoin, Ph.D.
2005 Awardee: Linda A. Dykstra, Ph.D. Dr. Linda Dykstra is a Kenan Distinguished Professor in the Departments of Psychology and Pharmacology and the Curriculum in Neurobiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also Dean of the Graduate School. Dr. Dykstra received her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and her B.A. from Hope College in Holland, Michigan. Dr. Dykstra has been the major research advisor for a large number of predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows and has directed a NIDAsupported training program in research related to drug abuse for the last 15 years. She also directs NIGMS Bridge program that is designed to encourage students from underrepresented groups to pursue doctoral training in the biomedical sciences. 0376-8716/$ – see front matter doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2005.11.019
It is my honor to introduce this year’s recipient of the CPDD Mentorship award, Dr. Linda Dykstra. As one of Linda’s former graduate students who has benefited greatly from her guidance and support, I am delighted to have this opportunity to share her mentoring accomplishments with you. For over 25 years, Linda has been the major research advisor for many trainees, including 15 doctoral and masters-level students and 10 post-doctoral fellows. Her strong commitment to engage her students in CPDD activities is evidenced by the fact that two of her students have been recipients of the Cochin Young Investigator Award, several post-doctoral fellows she sponsored have been recipients of Early Career Travel Awards, two students have been voted to the CPDD Board of Directors, and several serve on CPDD Committees. The caliber of training received under Linda’s mentorship is reflected in the well-respected positions her students have in academia and industry, including Harvard University, Washington State University, Temple University, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Eli Lilly, NeuroBioMedica, Schwarz Biosciences and Neurogen Pharmaceuticals. Linda’s skill as a mentor has played a major role in the
328
News and Views / Drug and Alcohol Dependence 81 (2006) 327–328
contributions we, her students, have made in the drug abuse field. I would like to take a moment to relate an experience I had with Linda about midway through my graduate training. One day Linda sat me down and said, “Okay, Alison, the easy part of your training is done. You gained a good knowledge base, learned the jargon and know how to wire up animal boxes and run experiments. Now comes the hard part – how to teach you the intangibles, how to develop good scientific judgment on study design issues and thinking broadly in terms of the relevance of your research. And although Linda was quite accurate in stating that this was the hard part of graduate training, I knew when I left UNC that I had a solid foundation of skills and expertise that would be key to my success as a researcher in the field. My story is not unique. All of us who were Linda’s students have had similar experiences. We are all indebted to her for her dedication and careful attention to our development as well as for providing such an incredible role model as a researcher and mentor. But Linda’s mentorship extends beyond her students. Linda developed and continues to direct one of the first NIDAsupported training programs in drug-abuse-related research. During the last 15 years, this training grant has provided research experience for over 40 predoctoral students across a range of disciplines. For the last 8 years, Linda has also directed an NIH/NGMS Bridge program, which is designed to encourage minorities to pursue doctoral training in the biomedical sciences. And that’s not all. Since 1996, Linda has greatly facilitated graduate training on a broader scale, in her role as Dean of the Graduate School at the University of North Carolina. In addition to providing leadership for over 65 doctoral programs, Linda has supported the development of several new, interdisciplinary graduate programs and has also raised sufficient funds to support over 200 new graduate fellowships, all with an interdisciplinary focus. Please note that Linda’s service as Dean has not interfered with her commitment to research and mentorship. She still maintains an active laboratory that currently includes two graduate students and two post-doctoral fellows. Linda clearly has had a major impact the careers and lives of many individuals by her dedication, personal and professional integrity, and heartfelt desire to help others reach their potential.
Her commitment to providing mentorship of the highest quality has enhanced the caliber of research conducted in the substance abuse field and others. It is with great appreciation, gratitude and high regard that I present the 2005 CPDD Mentorship Award to Dr. Linda Dykstra. Acceptance remarks by Linda A. Dykstra, Ph.D. First of all, let me say “thank you” to Alison for her very warm and gracious remarks. I am both humbled by the honor of this award and, of course, personally pleased. Certainly, I cannot take credit for everything that Alison has held me responsible for and therefore, I will focus my response on those who truly joined me in this honor. I believe one learns to mentor by being well mentored and I want to begin my remarks by acknowledging a few individuals who led me along this path, many of whom are long time members of CPDD. These include Bob Schuster, Lew Seiden, Jim Appel, Don McMillan, David Leander, Bill Morse and Jim Woods. I also want to express my appreciation to a long list of incredible students who made this experience so enjoyable. Several are here in the audience: Alison Oliveto, Jeff Witkin, Steve Negus, Rebecca Craft, Rich Allen, Kelly Carrigan, Ellen Walker, Sara Ward, Laura Bohn, Jolan Terner, Andy Barrett, Charlie Cook, Drake Morgan, Mark Smith, Brad Fischer, Jameeliyah Lane and others who were not able to be present today – Margaret Healey, Jack Orr, Kathy Milar, Barb Slifer, Mitch Picker, Maureen Bronson, Richard Carter, Ray Genovese, Pam Doty, Adande Mattox, Andrew Jackson, Kelly Powell, Karamarie Fecho, Josh Rodefer, Paige West, Ray Pitts and Chris Hughes. Working with such an outstanding group of young scholars has been both a privilege and truly one of life’s great pleasures. Finally, I want to acknowledge CPDD and the superb job this society does in creating an environment that fosters mentoring – both by facilitating formal as well as informal interactions among trainees and their mentors, and certainly by acknowledging the value of those relationships through the establishment of this award. I cannot imagine a greater honor than being the 2005 recipient of the CPDD Mentorship Award.
News and Views
College on the Problems of Drug Dependence Highlights from the 67th Annual Meeting CPDD Mentorship Award This award is given yearly to a member of CPDD who has been an exemplary mentor to developing researchers in the field of drug dependence.
For over 30 years, Dr. Dykstra has led an active research program, focusing on the behavioral pharmacology of opioid analgesics, both in relation to their pain-relieving properties as well as their tendency to produce tolerance and dependence. A more recent research interest of her laboratory is the investigation of behavioral phenotypes related to substance abuse using genetically altered mice. She has received continuous support for her research from the National Institute on Drug Abuse since 1977 and has been recognized with a Research Career Development Award, a Research Scientist Award and a MERIT award for her research contributions. Dr. Dykstra has held several professional leadership positions, including being President of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence. She is an elected member of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology and currently serves as Chair of the Behavioral Pharmacology Division of the American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and as Vice-President/President of the North Carolina Association of Biomedical Research. Introduction given by Alison Oliveto-Beaudoin, Ph.D.
2005 Awardee: Linda A. Dykstra, Ph.D. Dr. Linda Dykstra is a Kenan Distinguished Professor in the Departments of Psychology and Pharmacology and the Curriculum in Neurobiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also Dean of the Graduate School. Dr. Dykstra received her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and her B.A. from Hope College in Holland, Michigan. Dr. Dykstra has been the major research advisor for a large number of predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows and has directed a NIDAsupported training program in research related to drug abuse for the last 15 years. She also directs NIGMS Bridge program that is designed to encourage students from underrepresented groups to pursue doctoral training in the biomedical sciences. 0376-8716/$ – see front matter doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2005.11.019
It is my honor to introduce this year’s recipient of the CPDD Mentorship award, Dr. Linda Dykstra. As one of Linda’s former graduate students who has benefited greatly from her guidance and support, I am delighted to have this opportunity to share her mentoring accomplishments with you. For over 25 years, Linda has been the major research advisor for many trainees, including 15 doctoral and masters-level students and 10 post-doctoral fellows. Her strong commitment to engage her students in CPDD activities is evidenced by the fact that two of her students have been recipients of the Cochin Young Investigator Award, several post-doctoral fellows she sponsored have been recipients of Early Career Travel Awards, two students have been voted to the CPDD Board of Directors, and several serve on CPDD Committees. The caliber of training received under Linda’s mentorship is reflected in the well-respected positions her students have in academia and industry, including Harvard University, Washington State University, Temple University, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Eli Lilly, NeuroBioMedica, Schwarz Biosciences and Neurogen Pharmaceuticals. Linda’s skill as a mentor has played a major role in the
328
News and Views / Drug and Alcohol Dependence 81 (2006) 327–328
contributions we, her students, have made in the drug abuse field. I would like to take a moment to relate an experience I had with Linda about midway through my graduate training. One day Linda sat me down and said, “Okay, Alison, the easy part of your training is done. You gained a good knowledge base, learned the jargon and know how to wire up animal boxes and run experiments. Now comes the hard part – how to teach you the intangibles, how to develop good scientific judgment on study design issues and thinking broadly in terms of the relevance of your research. And although Linda was quite accurate in stating that this was the hard part of graduate training, I knew when I left UNC that I had a solid foundation of skills and expertise that would be key to my success as a researcher in the field. My story is not unique. All of us who were Linda’s students have had similar experiences. We are all indebted to her for her dedication and careful attention to our development as well as for providing such an incredible role model as a researcher and mentor. But Linda’s mentorship extends beyond her students. Linda developed and continues to direct one of the first NIDAsupported training programs in drug-abuse-related research. During the last 15 years, this training grant has provided research experience for over 40 predoctoral students across a range of disciplines. For the last 8 years, Linda has also directed an NIH/NGMS Bridge program, which is designed to encourage minorities to pursue doctoral training in the biomedical sciences. And that’s not all. Since 1996, Linda has greatly facilitated graduate training on a broader scale, in her role as Dean of the Graduate School at the University of North Carolina. In addition to providing leadership for over 65 doctoral programs, Linda has supported the development of several new, interdisciplinary graduate programs and has also raised sufficient funds to support over 200 new graduate fellowships, all with an interdisciplinary focus. Please note that Linda’s service as Dean has not interfered with her commitment to research and mentorship. She still maintains an active laboratory that currently includes two graduate students and two post-doctoral fellows. Linda clearly has had a major impact the careers and lives of many individuals by her dedication, personal and professional integrity, and heartfelt desire to help others reach their potential.
Her commitment to providing mentorship of the highest quality has enhanced the caliber of research conducted in the substance abuse field and others. It is with great appreciation, gratitude and high regard that I present the 2005 CPDD Mentorship Award to Dr. Linda Dykstra. Acceptance remarks by Linda A. Dykstra, Ph.D. First of all, let me say “thank you” to Alison for her very warm and gracious remarks. I am both humbled by the honor of this award and, of course, personally pleased. Certainly, I cannot take credit for everything that Alison has held me responsible for and therefore, I will focus my response on those who truly joined me in this honor. I believe one learns to mentor by being well mentored and I want to begin my remarks by acknowledging a few individuals who led me along this path, many of whom are long time members of CPDD. These include Bob Schuster, Lew Seiden, Jim Appel, Don McMillan, David Leander, Bill Morse and Jim Woods. I also want to express my appreciation to a long list of incredible students who made this experience so enjoyable. Several are here in the audience: Alison Oliveto, Jeff Witkin, Steve Negus, Rebecca Craft, Rich Allen, Kelly Carrigan, Ellen Walker, Sara Ward, Laura Bohn, Jolan Terner, Andy Barrett, Charlie Cook, Drake Morgan, Mark Smith, Brad Fischer, Jameeliyah Lane and others who were not able to be present today – Margaret Healey, Jack Orr, Kathy Milar, Barb Slifer, Mitch Picker, Maureen Bronson, Richard Carter, Ray Genovese, Pam Doty, Adande Mattox, Andrew Jackson, Kelly Powell, Karamarie Fecho, Josh Rodefer, Paige West, Ray Pitts and Chris Hughes. Working with such an outstanding group of young scholars has been both a privilege and truly one of life’s great pleasures. Finally, I want to acknowledge CPDD and the superb job this society does in creating an environment that fosters mentoring – both by facilitating formal as well as informal interactions among trainees and their mentors, and certainly by acknowledging the value of those relationships through the establishment of this award. I cannot imagine a greater honor than being the 2005 recipient of the CPDD Mentorship Award.