Addiction Medicine Research

• The Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry is part of the WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI). More information about RNI clinical research is available at https://wvumedicine.org/rni/rni-homepage/clinical-trials-main/research-programs/.
  • Dr. Erin Winstanley is the Vice Chair of Research for the Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry.
• Faculty and staff in the department have basic and clinical research grants, as well as service and training grants. Our faculty, staff and trainees collaborate with investigators and scientists from the WVU Health Sciences Center, the West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute, the broader WVU system and others in the community.
• Quality improvement projects and training is available through the Center of Excellence for Addiction Medicine, which is part of the Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry.

Current Externally-funded Research Projects:

• A Feasibility Clinical Trial of Exablate for Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation in Patients with Opioid Use Disorder (Principal Investigator: D Ali Rezai, Affiliated Faculty: Marc Haut, PhD; James Mahoney, Ph.D.)

• Appalachian Node of the NIDA Clinical Trials Network (CTN) (Principal Investigator: Judith Feinberg, MD, Affiliated Faculty: Laura Lander, MSW)
  • WVU is currently participating in the following NIDA CTN studies:
    1. Emergency Department-INitiated bupreNOrphine and VAlidaTIOn Network Trial (ED-INNOVATION) (CTN-0099) [Site: WVU Berkeley Medical Center]
    2. Optimizing Retention, Duration, and Discontinuation Strategies for Opioid Use Disorder Pharmacotherapy (CTN-0100) [Site Principal Investigator: Laura Lander, MSW Site: WVU Chestnut Ridge Center]
    3. Buprenorphine Treatment Engagement and Induction Problems Among Individuals Using Fentanyl (CTN-135) [Multiple Principal Investigator: Erin Winstanley, Ph.D.]

       Hyperlink to https://nida.nih.gov/about-nida/organization/cctn/ctn/research-studies/buprenorphine-treatment-engagement-induction-problems-among-individuals-using-fentanyl

• Feasibility of Deep Brain Stimulation as a Novel Treatment for Refractory OUD (Principal Investigator: D Ali Rezai, Affiliated Faculty: Marc Haut, PhD; James Mahoney, Ph.D.)

• Off-Label Use of Rapid Response Fentanyl Test Strips as an Overdose Prevention Strategy (Principal Investigator: Judith Feinberg, MD)

• Patient-Centered Hepatitis C Virus Care for People Who Inject Drugs -- The HERO Study (Site Principal Investigator: Judith Feinberg, MD)

• Pharmacy Naloxone Distribution: Assessing a New Tool to Reduce Overdose Mortality (Principal Investigator: Robin Pollini, PhD

• Remote Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Major Depression in Primary Care (Principal Investigator: Robert M. Bossarte, PhD)

• Transmission of Chronic Hepatitis C in Pregnancy (Affiliated Faculty: Judith Feinberg, MD)

• Tailored Retention and Engagement for Equitable Treatment of OUD and Pain (TREETOP) (Site Principal Investigator: Erin L. Winstanley, Ph.D.)