Strategic Plan | NIAAA

Strategic Plan: Fiscal Years 2024–2028

Advancing Alcohol Research to Promote Health and Well-Being

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Strategic Plan: Fiscal Years 2024–2028 describes research goals, themes, and programs that support the NIAAA mission. These goals also complement other NIH strategic plans and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services initiatives.

Four research goals represent long-standing pillars of NIAAA-supported research. Cross-cutting research themes represent high-priority concepts and emergent research opportunities that cut across the four research goals. Cross-cutting research programs describe coordinated programs with elements that span the four research goals. In addition to conducting and funding research, NIAAA has established capacity and operational priorities toward sustaining robust research capabilities, practicing good scientific stewardship, and strengthening the reach and impact of NIAAA-supported research.

Learn more about the Strategic Planning Process.

NIAAA Director's Message

George F. Koob, Ph.D.

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Cross-cutting research themes

The cross-cutting research themes provide a lens for examining high-priority topics that span two or more of the research goals and other areas of the strategic plan.

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Advancing research on women's health

Understanding how alcohol use and misuse impact women and developing interventions tailored to the unique needs of women

Advancing research on women's health

Applying a life course approach to alcohol research

NIAAA encourages research to address critical knowledge gaps about the impact of alcohol misuse unique to each life stage.

Applying a life course approach to alcohol research

Encouraging a whole person, integrated approach to health

NIAAA encourages research to address critical knowledge gaps about the impact of alcohol misuse unique to each life stage.

Encouraging a whole person, integrated approach to health

Innovating alcohol research and care through data science

NIAAA will facilitate research by encouraging data science and multi-omic approaches to predict vulnerability to alcohol misuse, individualize AUD treatment, and guide recovery.

Innovating alcohol research and care through data science

Research goals

The strategic plan’s four major research goals cover the depth and breadth of research necessary to improve the understanding of and to address the effects of alcohol misuse on individuals and society.

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Goal 1: Elucidate the biological mechanisms and consequences of alcohol misuse

NIAAA aims to advance research on the brain cells and circuits that underlie and are altered by alcohol misuse, and the complex relationships between alcohol misuse and physiological effects throughout the body.

Goal 1: Elucidate the biological mechanisms and consequences of alcohol misuse

Goal 2: Identify patterns, trends, and public health impact of alcohol misuse

NIAAA will continue to support epidemiological research to identify and track patterns of alcohol use and misuse, drinking-related outcomes and disparities, and individual and environmental variables that confer risk or resilience.

Goal 2: Identify patterns, trends, and public health impact of alcohol misuse

Goal 3: Prevent and reduce alcohol misuse, alcohol use disorder, and associated consequences

NIAAA encourages the development, evaluation, and implementation of individual, family, school, community, and policy-based strategies to prevent alcohol misuse, alcohol use disorder, and related consequences.

Goal 3: Prevent and reduce alcohol misuse, alcohol use disorder, and associated consequences

Goal 4: Improve diagnosis and expand treatment of alcohol use disorder and alcohol-related conditions

These goals aim to maintain and build a talented scientific and administrative workforce and to uphold optimal management and accountability, strategic collaboration, and communication of research results.

Goal 4: Improve diagnosis and expand treatment of alcohol use disorder and alcohol-related conditions

Supporting the mission

While funding innovative research is essential to achieving the NIAAA mission, NIAAA recognizes the importance of building a robust research capacity and serving as a responsible steward of public resources. This section is integral to the success of the Research Goals, Cross-Cutting Research Themes, and Cross-Cutting Research Programs sections of this strategic plan.

Goal 1: Building a robust research capacity

At the core of NIAAA’s efforts are cultivating a talented scientific and administrative workforce to advance research to the next frontier and maximizing NIAAA research resources and infrastructure to promote discovery.

Goal 1: Building a robust research capacity

Goal 2: Serving as a responsible steward of the public’s investment

NIAAA upholds the values of responsible stewardship, research integrity, and public trust. These values are reinforced by NIAAA’s commitment to optimal management and accountability, strategic collaboration, and communication of research results.

Goal 2: Serving as a responsible steward of the public’s investment

Download the NIAAA strategic plan

Download and review a full copy of the NIAAA Strategic plan, Fiscal Years 2024-2028.

 

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