The Pilot Component The Scripps Research Institute Alcohol Research Center- (TSRI-ARC) will provide a program for conducting pilot studies that advance the research agenda of the TSRI-ARC on neuroadaptive mechanisms associated with the transition from binge drinking to dependence and potentially generate independent grant applications relevant to the focus of the Center at Large. The principal goals of the Pilot Project Program are to enable the TSRI-ARC to explore new directions for innovative research related to the center's goals (Specific Aim 1) and to recruit scientists new to alcohol research into the field, thereby exposing center investigators to fresh perspectives and methods (Specific Aim 2). In general, it is expected that the Pilot projects will provide seed funding to qualified investigators to enable them to gather sufficient preliminary data to attract support for testing a new hypothesis through R01, R21, KO1 or similar mechanisms (or to eliminate a new hypothesis as not worth pursuing). Ultimately the aim of the Pilot Studies component is to provide the TSRI-ARC with a flexible means to develop and explore new research activities or directions and unique scientific opportunities that have the potential to evolve into independently-funded research projects. The proposed pilot studies are integrated into the overall TSRI-ARC program and involve innovative approaches, which will have translational impact across the research components. Emphasis has been placed, in the first two years, on studies that will develop innovative new exciting neurobiological approaches to neurocircuitry targets and on human translational studies for the neuroadapatations associated with excessive drinking and dependence. As demonstrated with the success of our previous Pilot programs, we anticipate that the results of the pilots will help launch innovative lines of research and in parallel new careers in the study of the neurobiology of alcoholism.