The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) awarded two more research grants in the fight against doping, USADA Senior Managing Director Larry Bowers announced Thursday.
“Continued improvements in testing technology along with increased understanding of the potential dangers of steroids, particularly for adolescents, advances our ability to deter drug use in sports,” said Bowers.
Two research awards were given to the UCLA Olympic Analytical Lab; one grant is entitled “Improving The Detection of Erythropoietin [EPO] Administration”, and focuses on the increasing the effectiveness of detecting EPO in drug testing. The second grant – “Improving Urine Testing for Endogenous Steroids by Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry” – deals with increasing the ability of the laboratory to tell the difference between pharmaceutical and natural testosterone. Overall, the UCLA Olympic Analytical Lab will receive about $900,000 for the two studies.
“The research that USADA is funding is very exciting and will likely lead to enhanced doping control. UCLA is delighted to be participating in the USADA research program,” said Dr. Don Catlin, Director of the UCLA Olympic Analytical Lab.
A special project award was presented to The Hormone Foundation for a proposal to plan a workshop on adolescent abuse of steroids and other performance-enhancing substances.” The Hormone Foundation, based in Bethesda, Md., will receive approximately $50,000 to support the project, which involves a workshop as the first activity in a multi-stage, collaborative program to develop and implement a national initiative to prevent the abuse of these substances.
“I am delighted that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency will be providing full funding for the program-planning workshop on adolescent abuse of steroids and other performance-enhancing substances. We believe that there is a window of opportunity to address this problem effectively before it becomes a major threat to the heath and well being of the nation’s youngsters,” said Patricia O. Moore, Director of The Hormone Foundation.
In February, USADA awarded the initial grants to The Hastings Center and University of Utah Center for Human Toxicology (CHT). The Hastings Center proposal focuses on the ethics and values involved in developing rules in the area of oxygen transport enhancement, including technologies from altitude tents to recombinant EPO and EPO gene therapy. One goal of the grant is to develop clear guidelines for sport and athletes as to where acceptable practices end and cheating begins. The University of Utah Center for Human Toxicology grant concentrates on the further development of analytical testing procedures.
USADA has budgeted $2 million annually for anti-doping research. Announcements of grant funding will occur on a quarterly basis. A number of proposals are currently under review, with the next announcement expected in July.
USADA is the independent anti-doping agency for Olympic sports in the United States, and is responsible for managing the testing and adjudication process for U.S. Olympic, Pan Am and Paralympic athletes. USADA is equally dedicated to preserving the integrity of sport through research initiatives and educational programs.
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