Contact us

What do we do?

What does RIAPAd do? Main objectives of our network

At RIAPAd we work with a clear mission: to improve the health and well-being of people affected by addictions and that of their families. To this end, we have organized ourselves into six major objectives that guide our research and actions:

Addiction Prevention and Preparedness

PI: José Benito Quintana

One of the pillars of RIAPAd is to anticipate. We want to detect as soon as possible the new substances that reach our streets and changes in consumption habits.

To do this, we analyse samples such as wastewater or syringe waste, and also cases of poisoning from hospital emergencies. This information allows us to know which drugs are currently being used in Spain.

In addition, we study in depth the new psychoactive substances that appear on the market: what effects they have, how they act on the body, and what risks they imply. We also work with adolescents, designing prevention strategies to reduce the onset of consumption from an early age. On the other hand, using animal models, we investigate what factors increase vulnerability to developing an addiction, such as stress, genetics or diet.

🔬 WP1 – Early detection of new substances

This work package will develop and implement tools that allow new trends in drug use to be detected early. The aim is to identify the appearance of new or dangerous substances as soon as possible in order to act in time.

⚠️ WP2 – Assessment of new threats

Here the properties and risks of new emerging drugs will be studied in depth. Their effects and toxicity will be analysed to better understand what we are facing and to be able to design more effective control and prevention strategies.

🧠 WP3 – Prevention of consumption and promotion of health

This group will be responsible for reviewing and improving existing prevention strategies. It will also design and implement new measures to reduce the risk of addictions, especially among young people and vulnerable populations.

👶 WP4 – Long-term vulnerability

This package will assess how early exposure to drugs or stress influences the development of addictive behaviours or mental disorders in adulthood. It will help to better understand the factors that increase vulnerability across the lifespan.

Research groups:

Monitoring the evolution of addictive disorders

PI: Daniel Fuster

Addictions are complex diseases that change over time. That’s why we want to understand how they evolve and how they affect the physical and mental health of those who suffer from them. We look for biological signals (biomarkers) that help better diagnose and personalize treatments. We also study the medical complications associated with chronic consumption, and we collect data from patients, especially those who start treatment for the first time, to better understand their evolution. All this information will help us to improve health care and design more effective treatments.

🧬 WP5 – Discovery of biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis

This work package seeks to identify biological signals (biomarkers) that help diagnose and predict the evolution of substance use disorders. To this end, blood and stool samples from both animals and patients will be analyzed, studying DNA, RNA and gut microbiota, with special attention to the differences between men and women.

🔄 WP6 – Applying basic research to clinical practice

The aim is to transfer the advances obtained in animal studies to the clinical environment, to improve the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of addictions and related mental disorders. Animal models will be developed, possible molecular targets will be studied, genetic factors and biomarkers will be validated, and assessment tools will be standardized to be applied to people with addictions.

🍷 WP7 – Clinical Study of People with Alcohol Use Disorder

This group will collect and analyse clinical data and biological samples from patients with alcohol use disorder. The aim is to better understand how this disease evolves, what medical complications appear and what the prognosis is for patients who start treatment for the first time. All this will be done through a large joint study between several centres (multicentre cohort).

🩺 WP8 – Health Impact of Addiction Complications

This package will generate scientific evidence, both in humans and animal models, on the medical and psychiatric complications associated with substance use. It will also study how these complications evolve over time and negatively affect both individual health and public health in general.

Research groups:

New treatments for new realities

PI: Salud García

At RIAPAd we are committed to innovation. Part of our effort is dedicated to discovering and testing new medications that can help overcome an addiction, but we also explore non-pharmacological therapies: from digital interventions to brain stimulation or motivational programs.

Our goal is to expand treatment options, make them more accessible, and improve outcomes for people seeking recovery.

💊 WP9 – New pharmacological treatments for addictions

This work package seeks to develop innovative medicines based on recent discoveries made by the RIAPAd groups. These experimental drugs will be tested in animal models that simulate different aspects of drug use, such as pleasure, motivation, relapses or the damage caused by substances. The aim is to find new, more effective and safer pharmacological tools to treat addictions.

🧠 WP10 – Non-pharmacological and innovative treatments

Here, alternative therapies to the use of medications to treat substance use disorders are investigated. Digital solutions (such as apps or online platforms) and brain stimulation techniques will be studied. Key objectives include:

  • Integrate digital interventions with face-to-face treatment.
  • To evaluate therapies aimed at people in the early stages of psychosis.
  • Better understand how and why these treatments work.

The goal is to improve adherence to treatment and offer more effective treatment options for those living with an addiction.

Research groups:

Best practices and leading patients

PI: Gabriel Rubio

We want to transform addiction care by putting those who know the most about the subject at the center: the affected people themselves and their families. For this reason, we create tools together with them to measure whether treatments are really working. In addition, we evaluate the long-term impact of therapies and review current health policies to make them more effective, equitable, and evidence-based.

📋 WP11 – Measuring Progress from the Patient's Voice (PROMs)

This package focuses on improving the implementation of tools called PROMs (patient-reported outcome measures) in outpatient treatment of addictions within the public health system. A specific questionnaire for people with dual diagnosis (addiction and mental disorder) will be developed and validated, which will allow their evolution to be followed more accurately during treatment.

🍻 WP12 – Evaluate treatment programs for alcoholism

This will discuss the efficacy and safety of different therapeutic strategies applied during the first two years of treatment for alcohol addiction. Patients’ own experience, participation in mutual aid groups, and possible gender differences will be taken into account in order to adapt and improve current programs.

📚 WP13 – Evaluative Research and Clinical Guidelines

This group will be dedicated to carrying out systematic reviews and meta-analyses to gather the best available evidence on prevention, diagnosis, treatment and patient participation in the field of addictions. In addition, it will develop useful clinical guidelines for health professionals, with special attention to the gender perspective, promoting a more comprehensive response from primary care.

Research groups:

Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Galicia Sur

RD24/0003/0024

PI: Carlos Spuch

Research with a gender perspective

PI: Marta Rodriguez

Addictions do not affect everyone in the same way. For this reason, at RIAPAd we promote research that takes into account the differences between men and women, both in the development and treatment of these diseases. We want scientific studies to reflect this reality and for health professionals to have fairer and more precise tools to care for all people, regardless of their gender.

🚻 WP14 – Integrating the Gender Perspective into Research and Care

The main objective of this work package is to promote research methods that take into account the differences between men and women in the field of addictions. Work will also be done to train health professionals, both in addictions and in primary care, so that they can apply this perspective in their clinical practice. In addition, WP14 will review all RIAPAd objectives to ensure that the sex and gender dimension is present in a transversal way, contributing to fairer, more effective treatments adapted to each person.

Research groups:

Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Galicia Sur

RD24/0003/0024

PI: Carlos Spuch

Training and dissemination: bringing science to society

PI: Fernando Rodríguez

All the knowledge we generate would not make sense if it did not reach society. That is why at RIAPAd we strive to communicate our research in a clear and accessible way. We disseminate up-to-date information through specialized channels and social networks, organize activities for patients and families, and train health professionals so that they can apply what they have learned directly in clinical practice.

📣 WP15 – Open and close communication about addictions

This package focuses on improving the prevention, detection and treatment of addictions through a clear, accessible and effective communication strategy. The aim is to give visibility to RIAPAd’s work and bring scientific knowledge closer to different audiences: patients, associations, health professionals, society in general and policymakers. Both specialized channels (scientific publications, congresses, podcasts, open reports) and channels aimed at the general public (social networks, media and participatory workshops with patients) will be used, always promoting the principles of Open Science.

🎓 WP16 – Advanced Training for Health and Education Professionals

This group will promote specialised training for professionals in the health and socio-educational field in Spain, with updated content on the treatment and prevention of addictions and associated disorders. It will collaborate with the main university programmes in addictions (such as those of the Universitat de València, the Complutense University and the International University of Valencia) to offer practical and accessible training activities. The training will be delivered in flexible formats, including courses associated with RIAPAd meetings and online content such as the CANDIS and “My Way Up” programs, aimed at specialized interventions.

Research groups: