ARRC Research Studies
The Addiction Recovery Research Center at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC conducts human studies of addiction to target the impaired decision-making processes of people with addictive behaviors to understand their self-control deficits. Review our current studies to see if participation is appropriate for you.
Do you or someone you know use cocaine?
Researchers at Virginia Tech are looking for individuals to participate in a groundbreaking research study on decision-making in adults who use cocaine.
(VT IRB #22-529)
To be eligible, you:
- Must be 18 years or older
- Cannot be pregnant
- Must be willing to do MRI scans and provide urine samples
Participation includes:
- Thirteen lab visits over the course of 5 weeks
- All visits take place in Roanoke, Virginia
- Each visit is between 30 minutes and 3.5 hours long
- Urine samples and remote reporting of cocaine use
- Three MRI sessions
- Computerized assessments
- Completely confidential, and no legal consequences for any information you provide
- This is not a treatment study and you will not be required to stop using
Compensation
- Week 1: up to $127
- Week 2: up to $220.50
- Week 3: up to $122
- Week 4: up to $141
- Week 5: up to $312.50
- May earn up to a total of $923
Questions?
Join Our Smoking Study and Try a Range of Different Tobacco and Nicotine Products
We are interested in purchasing decisions surrounding tobacco produces.
(VT IRB #22-432)
To be eligible, you:
- Must be 21 years or older
- Cannot be pregnant or lactating
Participation involves:
- 2 lab sessions, each up to 2 hours
- 1 phone call session, up to 30 minutes
- Sampling different cigarettes
- Computerized assessments
Compensation
- Session 1: up to $40
- Session 2: up to $50
- Session 3: up to $35
- Travel may be compensated
Questions?
Do you smoke cigarettes daily?
(VT IRB #22-433)
To be eligible, you:
- Must be 21 years or older
- Cannot be pregnant or lactating
Participation involves:
- 3 sessions, each up to 1.5 hours
- Computerized surveys
- Not a treatment study
Compensation
- Session 1: up to $35
- Session 2: up to $40
- Session 3: up to $25
- Travel may be compensated
Questions?
Trying to stop heavy drinking?
Join our research study to help improve our understanding of decisions about alcohol.
(VT IRB #22-358)
To be eligible, you:
- Must be 21 - 65 years old
- Cannot be pregnant or lactating
- Must be willing to do fMRI scan and provide breath samples 3 times/day
Participation includes:
- Approximately 6 weeks plus a 1-month follow up
- Six in-person sessions, each up to 2 - 3 hours
- Daily drinks and breath samples reported remotely
- Two fMRI sessions
- Computerized surveys
*This is not a treatment study
Compensation
- Session 1: up to $15
- Session 2: up to $25
- Session 3: up to $45
- Session 4 up to $30
- Session 5 up to $45
- Session 6 up to $50
- Maybe eligible for $150 study bonus based on completion
- Additional compensation may be provided for daily reports, MRI scans and/or travel
Questions?
- Research participants contribute to science and help scientists understand human health and decision-making. Volunteers also learn about the research process. Your willingness to participate is a testament to your commitment to advancing scientific knowledge and potentially improving the lives of millions of people with health problems.
- Yes, all of the information you provide is confidential and will not be shared outside of the study teams. Your personal information will never be included in any research publications or during presentations of our studies.
- ARRC is not a treatment facility. Some, though not all, of the studies involve testing behavioral interventions to help reduce alcohol or cocaine use.
- Participation does not involve costs. Compensation is provided for each study. Additional compensation for travel time and/or bus fare are also provided and the study teams can organize Lyft/Uber rides if helpful.
- Most studies are at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at 2 Riverside Circle, Roanoke, Virginia. ARRC does have online studies as well that some people qualify to complete.
- Hourly compensation for travel time and/or bus fare will be provided and the study teams can organize Lyft/Uber rides if helpful.
The ARRC Team
