The Prevention Research Center (PRC) of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE) was founded in 1983 in Berkeley and has recently relocated to Oakland, California. PRC is a national center funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). It is the only NIAAA national research center that focuses specifically on prevention. With over 25 Ph.D. researchers in residence representing diverse fields of study, trans-disciplinary collegiality and rich intellectual exchange characterize the scientific environment of the center.

PRC's focus is on conducting research to better understand the psycho-social, cultural, and physical environments that influence individual behaviors that lead to alcohol, tobacco, drug misuse, and other health-related behaviors. The Center operates with the following objectives:

• Undertake innovative prevention research and approaches that contribute to informed decisions about cost-effective prevention programs and policies at the local, state and national levels.
• Summarize new and existing knowledge about prevention theories, policies, and programs, and disseminate this information to professional, academic, and community audiences.

Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1974, is headquartered in Calverton, Maryland, with centers located in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Oakland, California; Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Louisville, Kentucky; and Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Additional offices are located in Anchorage, Alaska, Columbia, South Carolina, Columbus, Ohio, Lexington, MA, and San Diego, CA. PIRE is a leading private, not-for-profit research institute conducting studies in the areas of substance abuse prevention and safety research.