Scientists, researchers and politicians talked about one of the biggest issues American society is facing today at “The Science of Addiction Symposium” in the MU Bond Life Sciences Center.
The purpose of the symposium was to bring together different fields of study to tackle the increasing number of opioid fatalities in the United States, but with a specific look at the state of Missouri.
Keynote speakers discussed psychology, economics and biology—all areas that can have a significant influence in the development of curing addictions.
Jamie Arndt, professor of Psychological Sciences and department chair at MU, opened the symposium and emphasized the importance of making the science of addiction an interdisciplinary study.
“So what we see is that there’s a need for it, we feel like the effort is helping, is a first step, not the complete step, but a first step to filling that need,” Arndt said.
Sandra Brown is the Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of California San Diego. Brown specializes in psychology and psychiatry, and explained when it comes to the toll alcohol and drugs have on human development, especially adolescents, there is a big price to pay.
“This is a single area where we can have the greatest consequence for quality of healthcare for Americans,” Brown said.
Brown called the symposium remarkable in terms of researchers and the community having the opportunity to come together and share their findings and voice their concerns.