Research agencies

Australian Drug Information Network (ADIN)  

ADIN provides reliable information on alcohol, other drugs and mental health, with links to treatment services, research, statistics, guidelines, journals, policy, campaigns, events, curriculum, professional development opportunities and more. Every website in ADIN’s directory has been through a formal quality review process to give you the best search results.

Burnet Institute – Alcohol and Other Drugs Group 

The Burnet Institute conducts research on alcohol and other drug use and related harms in Australia. They work with a variety of at-risk populations, including young people and people who inject drugs. Using innovative research designs and methods, the program has a strong history of collaboration with researchers from key national and international institutions. Their main objectives are to document the trajectories of alcohol and other drug use and key intervention points to reduce harms; develop innovative studies to improve our understanding of patterns of alcohol and other drug use in the community; develop, implement and evaluate new interventions to reduce alcohol and other drug related harms.

Deakin University Centre for Drug use, Addictive and Anti-social Behaviour Research

The Deakin University Centre for Drug use, Addictive and Anti-social behaviour Research (CEDAAR) conducts research into the psychological, biological, socio-political, and clinical aspects of Alcohol and other Drug (AOD) use, other addictive behaviours, and consequent harms. The research program is linked to the Deakin Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development (SEED), and it looks to understand many of the problems associated with substance and other addictive behaviours and related harms from a developmentally informed perspective.

Drug Policy Modelling Program (DPMP)

The DPMP aims to improve Australian drug policy by creating valuable new drug policy insights, ideas and interventions that will allow Australia to respond effectively to drug-related problems. The DPMP is a collaboration between the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (which houses the central team) and a number of research institutions including amongst others The Burnet Institute, University of Queensland, the National Drug Research Institute and Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre. The DPMP is a multi-disciplinary team with psychology, health economics, criminology, public policy, sociology and economics all represented. DPMP work concerns all aspects of drug policy, and covers the four pillars of drug policy: law enforcement, prevention, treatment and harm reduction.

National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs (NCCRED)

NCCRED is an innovative centre bringing together clinicians and researchers to detect and respond to trends in emerging drug health. NCCRED strives to forge world-leading excellence in the treatment of methamphetamine and other emerging drugs of concern. NCCRED aims to collaborate and build the capacity and scope for new clinical research into emerging drugs; and rapidly translate these findings into best clinical practice.

National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA)

NCETA is a collaborative between the School of Medicine at Flinders University, the Department of Health and Ageing and the South Australian Department of Health. NCETA is internationally recognised research Centre, particularly known for its work in Workforce Development, Workplace AOD issues and translation of research into practice. NCETA has undertaken a number of important projects including Family Sensitive Policy and Practice, which included the Taking First Steps: What Family Sensitive Practice Means for Alcohol and Other Drug Workers: A Survey Report which resulted in the resource kit For Kids Sake: A Workforce Development Resource for Family Sensitive Policy and Practice in the Alcohol and Other Drugs Sector.

National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC)

NDARC is a multidisciplinary centre that collaborates with medicine, psychology, social science and other schools of the University of NSW, as well as with a range of other institutions and individuals in Australia and overseas. The overall mission of NDARC is to conduct high quality research and related activities that increases the effectiveness of Australian and International treatment and other intervention responses to alcohol and other drug related harm.

National Drug Research Institute (NDRI)

The NDRI seeks to conduct and disseminate high quality research that supports evidence informed policy, strategies and practice to prevent and minimise alcohol and other drug-related health, social and economic harms among individuals, families and communities in Australia. NDRI is based at Curtin University’s Health Research Campus and delivers novel, high quality research on alcohol and other drug use that reduces the prevalence and severity of drug and/or alcohol misuse in Australian communities; enhances the capacity of the sector to undertake drug and alcohol research informing national efforts to address substance misuse, and enhances knowledge on treatment approaches for emerging drugs of concern, including supporting research on innovative treatment methods

Queensland Alcohol and Drug Research and Education Centre (QADREC)

QADREC is within UQ’s Faculty of Health Sciences School of Population Health. It was established in 1996 as a collaborative initiative between Queensland Health and The University of Queensland and provides specialised qualifications in Addiction Studies. The Centre provides research output at a national and international level in alcohol and drug-related areas and undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in alcohol and drugs. QADREC also provides support for resource development.

The Matilda Centre (Formerly the Centre of Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use)

The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use is a multidisciplinary research centre committed to improving the health and wellbeing of people affected by co-occurring substance use and mental disorders. Established in 2018, the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use aims to generate innovative and workable solutions to address substance use and mental disorders, which are currently the leading global causes of burden and disease in young people.

The National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research (NCYSUR)

The NCYSUR was established in 2008 to promote the health and well-being of young people by increasing Australia’s capacity to respond effectively to the harm associated with alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use.

NCYSUR aims to understand pathways by which young people engage in substance misuse; Be at the cutting edge of research into new and innovative ways of preventing and treating substance use among young people; Make significant and tangible improvements to youth service provision; Positively influence state and national approaches to youth substance use prevention and treatment through information dissemination, policy refinement and public advocacy; and Ensure youth have a voice and input into the research directions of the Centre.