title: Scientific overview: 2013 BBC plenary symposium on tobacco addiction.
abstract: Nicotine dependence plays a critical role in addiction to tobacco products, and thus contributes to a variety of devastating tobacco-related diseases (SGR 2014). Annual costs associated with smoking in the US are estimated to be between $289 and $333 billion. Effective interventions for nicotine dependence, especially in smokers, are a critical barrier to the eradication of tobacco-related diseases. This overview highlights research presented at the Plenary Symposium of Behavior, Biology and Chemistry: Translational Research in Addiction Conference (BBC), hosted by the UT Health Science Center San Antonio, on March 9-10, 2013. The Plenary Symposium focused on tobacco addiction, and covered topics ranging from basic science to national policy. As in previous years, the meeting brought together globally-renowned scientists, graduate student recruits, and young scientists from underrepresented populations in Texas and other states with the goal of fostering interest in drug addiction research in young generations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. Electronic address: marielde@mail.med.upenn.edu.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Biasi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Crooks
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Dwoskin
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Bardo
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Hennepin County Medical Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Pentel
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hatsukami
mesh_terms: D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D012106:Research; D012907:Smoking / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: Nicotine dependence; Nicotine vaccine; Nicotine withdrawal; Nicotinic receptor antagonists; Smoking cessation; Tobacco product regulation