For ABMRF/The Foundation for Alcohol Research, 2009 was a year to consolidate and focus on our mission—supporting promising young investigators in their conduct of high quality, innovative research on the effects of alcoholic beverages on health and behavior.  Over the years, ABMRF has benefitted from the support of a loyal Board of Trustees, energetic Council members and a small, but dedicated staff to oversee its operations.  In February, Dr. Robin Kroft, our long-time colleague, resigned her position as Executive Vice President to become Executive Director for another medical Foundation. We will miss her leadership and dedication, but wish her well in her new position.

Although we have faced an economic challenge resulting from the worst recession in more than seventy-five years in both the U.S. and Canada, the careful and prudent planning of the Board of Trustees and the continuing support of our contributors enabled us to maintain the same level of support for research as each of the last 5 years. As 2009 ends and we begin a new decade, we are optimistic that we will have the opportunity to support even more good research than in the past. Over the last 27 years, ABMRF has been a steady and trusted source of support for alcohol research. Our role as a research foundation is to support those studies that establish a base of knowledge to understand how alcohol affects everyone in society, from those who drink in moderation to those who drink to excess.  The complexity of problems related to alcohol requires a deliberate and sustained effort as we consider not only the harm associated with heavy drinking, but also the potential benefits that have been associated with moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages. Ultimately, this research may guide development of better policies surrounding the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages in North America and throughout the rest of the world. 

We have earned our reputation through collaboration with scientists in the alcohol research community, seeking their guidance in selecting the best work for support. We have continued our collaboration with organizations such as the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism(NIAAA) to encourage promising young investigators who will become the future leaders in the field. This past year, a former Foundation grantee, Dr. Sherry McKee, won the prestigious Young Investigator Award from RSA.  She is one of 12 former grantees to have received this award since its inception in 1988. We are proud of the role that ABMRF has played in fostering not only new discoveries, but also the development of young investigators such as Dr. McKee and Dr. Kim Nixon, another former grantee, who won the same award in 2008. Members of the Medical & Biomedical and Behavioral & Social Science Advisory Councils are frequently forced to make difficult decisions in approving specific applications for funding since there are always many more promising ideas than we can fund. 

To maintain our current level of support for research grants during this year’s recession, the Board elected not to host the 2009 International Medical Advisory Group (IMAG) meeting. However, during the semi-annual meeting of the Board in November, scientific members of our Councils and Board presented updates on some of the exciting areas in alcohol research. Drs. Ivan Diamond and Ray Anton provided an update on development of medications for alcohol use disorders which illustrated how far the field of alcohol studies has come since the founding of ABMRF. Other presentations highlighted the role that other interventions can have in modifying alcohol use by underage drinkers on college campuses. Our mission is to advance understanding of how alcohol affects health and behavior, a commitment that will ultimately require a larger annual budget than we currently have. During this past year, the development committee has conferred regularly and has been ambitiously exploring potential new alternatives for funding.  

To accomplish our future goals, we need to enhance the visibility of ABMRF with members of the public.  To engage the public further in the work of the Foundation will require different communication strategies than we have previously employed in developing collaborations with the alcohol research community and the brewing industry.  These efforts have begun under the direction of our Development and Communications officer, Ms. Lisa Hoffberger. Already these efforts are showing promise; each year we receive increased numbers of direct contributions from the general public. Broadening the base of support is a key step in expanding our ability to fund more young investigators in alcohol research. 

The Foundation also recognizes that issues related to alcohol consumption span the entire globe. ABMRF has been an international foundation since its incorporation in 1982, when Canadians and Americans joined together in support of our mission. Furthermore, ABMRF has enjoyed close relationships with similar organizations in other countries, particularly with the European Research Advisory Board (ERAB) that utilizes a similar scientific methodology to fund alcohol studies throughout the countries of the European Union. With the support of the Board of Trustees, the Foundation has taken steps to identify opportunities to partner with investigators in other countries to explore differences in the patterns of alcohol use and to identify promising young investigators in other countries. Although the details of these collaborative studies remain to be developed in the coming decade, the need for a more international view of alcohol studies is certain. ABMRF/The Foundation for Alcohol Research is uniquely positioned to play a vital role in this effort. We look forward to this new challenge and the opportunity to extend our mission in other parts of the world.      

Mack C. Mitchell, Jr., M.D.
Taken from the 2009 Annual Report