The University of Alabama will be home to a new research center dedicated to the prevention, treatment and management of substance use disorders.

The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama System approved the Center for Substance Use Research and Related Conditions (CSURRC).

Housed in the Capstone College of Nursing and in collaboration with the Alabama Life Research Institute, the mission of the CSURRC is to promote the health and well-being of people and communities affected by substance use disorders in Alabama and beyond through innovative and culturally responsive research that reduces health disparities, improves health equity and addresses social determinants of health.

Mercy Mumba is director of the University of Alabama’s Center for Substance Use Research and Related Conditions. (contributed)

“Across the country and in our state, substance use disorders are a critical public health concern made more challenging by limited resources in the areas of prevention, treatment and recovery, particularly in rural areas with poor access to health care,” said Suzanne Prevost, dean of the Capstone College of Nursing. “The focus of this center fits perfectly with the college, particularly our graduate programs preparing nurse practitioners, nurse administrators, nurse educators and nurse researchers to address the needs of rural communities in Alabama and throughout the U.S.”

The center’s scope is congruent with the state’s priority to combat substance and opioid use, as well as the federal government’s initiatives to help end addiction long term, said Mercy Mumba, associate professor of nursing and center director.

“The center will provide a unifying unit for faculty, students and staff who are interested in substance use research and related conditions,” she said. “Having a center will further strengthen existing interdisciplinary collaborations among these researchers, while at the same time fostering new collaborations.”

Mumba has 10 years of experience as a researcher and scientist, with an extensive background and expertise in substance use disorders. Her funding portfolio of more than $15 million represents research and programs focused on substance use disorders and related conditions.

Another major goal of the center is to support the training of the next generation of researchers, scientists, educators and clinical practitioners. CSURRC will strive to inspire undergraduates to conduct research, as well as to train graduate and postdoctoral fellows across campus.

“Dr. Mercy Mumba is the ideal nurse-researcher and leader to direct this work and mentor the many students and faculty who will collaborate through the CSURRC to develop and test solutions for the substance use crisis,” Prevost said.

In 2020, more than 95,000 people died from drug overdoses in the U.S., and almost two-thirds of those deaths were opioid overdoses. Alabama has the highest per-capita opioid prescription rate in the nation at 120 prescriptions per 100 people, double the national average.

This story originally appeared on the University of Alabama’s website.