Scientist on front lines of overdose crisis receives MacArthur 'genius' award

Nabarun Dasgupta, a interrogator astatine nan University of North Carolina astatine Chapel Hill, won a MacArthur Foundation "genius" assistance for his activity to understand nan U.S. overdose situation and thief trim deaths.

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One of nan winners of this year's MacArthur brilliant grants has spent decades connected nan beforehand lines of America's deadly opioid crisis. Nabarun Dasgupta is simply a interrogator astatine nan University of North Carolina astatine Chapel Hill who besides useful connected nan streets, processing programs that thief group utilizing narcotics survive. NPR addiction analogous Brian Mann reports. And a note, nan McArthur Foundation is simply a sponsor of NPR.

BRIAN MANN, BYLINE: Last year, Nabarun Dasgupta, who goes by Nab, was successful his field agency digging done reams of section supplier decease information that by his ain description, he scrutinizes obsessively, and he recovered thing unexpected. Here's Dasgupta speaking pinch NPR successful 2024.

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NABARUN DASGUPTA: I was going done authorities by state, and almost each nan graphs each benignant of pointed downwards.

MANN: Dasgupta was 1 of nan first scientists successful nan state to observe a historic, hopeful shift.

DASGUPTA: It has been a complete shock, nan numbers declining successful nan measurement that they person been. I thought - it's moreover difficult to talk astir because it's, aft each this clip looking astatine overdose deaths, this is what we person been hoping for.

MANN: In recognizing Dasgupta's work, nan MacArthur Foundation pointed to his groundbreaking research. They besides recognized his activity extracurricular nan lab. Starting successful agrarian towns successful North Carolina, Dasgupta helped create a nationalist web that samples thoroughfare drugs, portion of an early informing strategy that detects toxic chemicals being mixed into nan narcotics sold by dealers. He besides cofounded a nationalist effort called nan Remedy Alliance/For nan People that distributes immense amounts of naloxone. That's nan supplier that reverses opioid overdoses. Maya Doe-Simkins is Remedy Alliance's codirector.

MAYA DOE-SIMKINS: The activity that Nab is progressive pinch decidedly saves lives, to nan tune of tens of thousands of people.

MANN: Doe-Simkins says Dasgupta is 1 of nan fewer researchers studying addiction who has heavy sources of accusation and knowledge successful thoroughfare communities wherever supplier usage happens.

DOE-SIMKINS: Oftentimes, there's a disconnect. And Nab is different.

MANN: Dasgupta says he was stunned to person his activity recognized by nan MacArthur Foundation. He told NPR he received nan news astatine a bittersweet moment. His squad successful Chapel Hill had gathered for a ceremonial to grant 1 of Dasgupta's closest collaborators, an addiction activistic successful North Carolina named Louise Vincent. Vincent died successful August aft struggling pinch wellness complications from her ain thoroughfare supplier use.

DASGUPTA: I walked backmost into my agency and closed nan doorway because I needed a moment. And that's erstwhile I sewage a telephone from nan foundation. And I don't cognize if it's imaginable to simultaneously outcry tears of joyousness retired of 1 oculus and condolences retired of nan other, but that's what that infinitesimal really felt like.

MANN: The MacArthur Foundation is recognizing and supporting Dasgupta's activity astatine a clip erstwhile it's nether attack. The Trump management is pushing to displacement backing and support distant from programs for illustration Dasgupta's, known arsenic harm reduction, that thief group utilizing thoroughfare narcotics debar terrible unwellness and death. Critics opportunity harm simplification tin alteration aliases prolong supplier use, though those claims haven't been borne retired by research. Dasgupta said he's convinced by nan information that harm simplification works, helping group past and recover. He besides believes offering wellness attraction to group who can't aliases won't extremity utilizing narcotics is nan correct point to do.

DASGUPTA: I deliberation harm simplification is simply a problem-solving strategy that's based connected nan ancient contented that each lives person dignity and value, sloppy of what group put successful their bodies.

MANN: Drug deaths are now astatine their lowest level successful nan U.S. successful half a decade. But fentanyl, methamphetamines and different substances are still causing much than 70,000 fatal overdoses a year. Dasgupta says this $800,000 brilliant assistance will thief him support fighting to prevention much lives.

Brian Mann, NPR News.

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