NIDA SBIR/STTR Program: Opportunities for Prevention Research

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs support creation of innovative technologies that align with the National Institutes of Health’s mission to improve health and save lives. The National Institute on Drug Abuse’s (NIDA) SBIR/STTR programs are 3.6% of the overall NIDA budget. The programs seek novel, evidence based strategies and approaches that can be translated effectively into the private sector market to prevent substance use, misuse and related problems. For this roundtable a panel of NIDA staff and investigators funded under the NIDA SBIR/STTR programs will discuss opportunities for researchers and small businesses to translate prevention research discoveries into innovations that have strong potential for commercialization. Researchers will discuss their SBIR/STTR funded research; share insights on opportunities, challenges, and advantages under these programs; and provide examples of experiences translating their own research into commercialized products. In addition, panelists will discuss how SBIR/STTR research and development proposals compare to university-based research grant proposals and some of the additional considerations needed to prepare successful SBIR/STTR grant applications. One panelist will discuss adapting evidence-based drug abuse prevention approaches for new behaviors, implementation technologies and markets. A second panelist will share how he has been able to use SBIR funding over time to develop a variety of innovative science-based prevention products and approaches, including facilitator training supports and evaluation tools for advancing the field of prevention. Third, panelists will discuss the evolution of an online alcohol and drug prevention program for collegiate athletes, myPlaybook, detailing the intricate process to move from conceptual model to a scalable intervention with an eye towards optimization. This roundtable is designed for researchers who are interested in learning about the SBIR/STTR programs; who have questions about prevention relevant research priorities for these programs; and, interested in dialoguing with SBIR/STTR funded researchers, SBIR small business owners, and NIDA staff about these programs and opportunities for prevention researchers and advancing prevention science.