Dear Colleagues and Friends,

I am delighted to extend a warm greeting to you as the President of the Asia Pacific Society for Alcohol and Addiction Research (APSAAR). It is an honour to have stepped into this role, following the dedicated leadership of Dr. Peter Dodd.

The past few years have been a challenging time for all of us. While the COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted our activities, it has also highlighted the critical importance of mental health and addiction research. As we emerge from this period, APSAAR is re-energised and more committed than ever to its mission. We are ready to refresh our activities, foster new collaborations, and address the evolving landscape of alcohol and addiction issues in our diverse region.

The key milestones for us were our recent joint meetings with the International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism (ISBRA) at their Congress in Melbourne, September 2024, and at the 2025 International Conference on Drug Policy in Bangkok, August 2025. These were invaluable opportunities to reconnect and share vital research. Building on this success, we are excited to continue our partnership with ISBRA for future joint conferences and to organise our thematic conferences focusing on specific, high-priority topics for the Asia Pacific region.

I invite you to join us in this renewed journey. Our strength lies in our community, and your engagement is essential to our success.

Sincerely,

Sawitri Assanangkornchai,

President, APSAAR

9 Aug 2025