Duluth Global Health Research Institute

Stress and Resilience Research Laboratories (SRRL) are located within the two main campuses of the University of Minnesota Medical School –  Minneapolis and Duluth. SRRL has long been engaged in several collaborations with multiple laboratories at other universities in the U.S. and around the globe, developed by the lab PI (Dr. Mustafa al’Absi) and other faculties. The PI will bring resources to bear on this effort. Research programs in these labs have been funded by NIH, NSF, and other national organizations. These programs focus on stress, addiction, risk factors for chronic diseases, and immigrant health.

The KRP is a unique,​ multidisciplinary research and training program focusing on khat abuse and addiction. The program is partially funded by the National Institutes of Health and the University of Minnesota and its success is evidenced by 32 high-impact journal publications authored by Medical School - Duluth faculty and staff over the last six years. The program is conducted in collaboration with multiple universities in the United States, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East; and the KRP will form the core model for future research initiatives on substance use and related mental health problems.

This program was launched in collaboration with multiple universities and coordinated by the University of Fez. The MIMOSA program allowed us to take advantage of a unique opportunity to study cannabis abuse and addiction in a region that is one of the world’s most prolific producers of marijuana (Rif Valley of Morocco) and that has many heavy cannabis users. Our collaborations have involved training and mentoring activities with medical school residents and junior faculty. Our existing relationships with these medical schools will help facilitate bi-directional field experiences for residents and other students in our respective institutions.

This collaboration seeks to establish a transdisciplinary​ research and capacity building program addressing addictive disorders and mental health comorbidity with a particular focus on stress and life adversity as risk factors. Our specific capacity building goals for this project are to capitalize on our early collaborations by establishing a regional resource center to increase the number of researchers in North Africa. To take advantage of relative stability, geographic centrality, support for research, and long-term collaborations, this program is based in Tunisia. Tunisian universities, national and regional agencies, and non-governmental organizations participate in coordinating and hosting training activities in Monastir, Sousse, and Tunis. Because of the high level of psychosocial stress experienced in this region, we focus on the role of psychosocial stress and life adversity in addictive behaviors (with a focus on tobacco cigarettes and waterpipe) mental health comorbidity.

AMECA is​​ an international initiative led by faculty from the University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus, which provides a venue to gather researchers and clinicians from multiple fields including medicine, psychology, public health, and related fields. AMECA was developed as an initiative to coordinate capacity for research on addiction and related mental health disorders in Africa and the Middle East. There are current initiatives within AMECA to form a special interest group dedicated to the toll that addiction and mental health comorbidities have on the lives of women and children.