Press Release

Department of Human Genetics
Eccles Institute of Human Genetics
University of Utah

RELEASE DATE: 16 January 2003

Contact:
Connie Barth -- (801) 585-6135

January 16, 2003 -- University of Utah scientists are mounting a five-year, $10.7 million effort to identify genes that make some people susceptible to nicotine addiction and cigarette smoking, and to developing emphysema, bronchitis and other chronic lung diseases.

The genetics of addiction program is funded by $10,666,767 in grants from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The project was announced today at the university's Eccles Institute of Human Genetics. NIDA also awarded the university's Genetic Science Learning Center another $750,000 to develop materials to educate high school students and teachers in Utah and nationwide about genetic factors contributing to addiction. That brings the total to more than $11.4 million.

The addiction program "is a chance to take advantage of the great resources we have in Utah to look at an important and complicated public health issue: the devastating problem of addiction," said Ray Gesteland, Ph.D., the university's vice president for research and a distinguished professor of human genetics. "It is another tribute to our expertise in genetics."

About 15 faculty members and another 15 to 20 staff members and students are working on the program, which involves three major studies to seek genes that predispose people and mice to nicotine addition and make some smokers more likely than others to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPDs) like emphysema. <more>