In partnership with dfusion, Inc
Principal Investigators: BA Laris (dfusion) & Heather Gray, PhD (Division on Addiction)
Funder: National Institute on Drug Abuse (Grant No. 1R43DA065369)
Timeline: 2026 – 2028
dfusion, Inc. and the Division on Addiction secured a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I grant to develop and pilot test Level Up: A Game-based Learning Intervention to Prevent Problem Gambling. Level Up will be a theory-based, science-driven intervention for high school students blending educator-facilitated instruction, digital simulations, educational game elements, and more. Curriculum topics will include gambling, youth mental health, neurological development, media and consumer literacy, and financial literacy.