Department of
Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry

Addiction Medicine Research

"Drug Free Moms and Babies." Supported by a $90,000 grant from The West Virginia Perinatal Partnership and The Benedum Foundation (2012-present).

PI's: Cassie Leonard, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Patrick Marshalek, MD, Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, WVU School of Medicine.

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention for States.  Supported by CDC grant-RFA-CE15-1501

Consultant's: C. Rolly Sullivan, MD, FACP, Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, WVU School of Medicine, Drew Bradlyn, PhD., ICF International.

"Using a whole exome sequencing approach to enhance the treatment of pregnant women with opioid use disorder and their neonates." Funded by $50,000 grant from West Virginia University-Marshall University Health Grants Partnership/WVCTSI.

PI: Richard Egleton, PhD., Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University and Laura Lander, MSW, LICSW, School of Medicine, West Virginia University.

As a result of the opioid use epidemic, West Virginia has some of the highest rates of maternal substance use and equally high rates of babies born with NAS. Marshall University and WVU will come together to develop a self-sustaining research collaborative to address the knowledge gap in the genetic susceptibility of babies exposed to substance use in utero and gather outcomes data to work towards establishing effective evidence-based treatment for NAS. Current treatments used and outcomes will also be evaluated at Cabell Huntington Hospital and Ruby Memorial Hospital.

"The West Virginia Model" - Evaluating gene variations implicated in opioid abuse and determining whether they affect treatment outcome in the Chestnut Ridge Center substance abuse clinic. Funded by a $50,000 WVCTSI grant.

PI: Vincent Setola, PhD., MD., School of Medicine, West Virginia University.                         CO-I: Laura Lander, MSW, LICSW

The aim of this project is to determine whether individuals being treated for opioid addiction at the Chestnut Ridge Center outpatient clinic have particular gene variants from among a set of ten (10) genes that have previously been implicated in drug abuse and/or other, relevant psychiatric condition.

Smoking Cessation & Opioid Dependence Treatment Integration: Does Timing Matter? Funded by a $50,000 WVCTSI grant.

PI's: Melissa Blank, PhD, Department of Psychology, C. Rolly Sullivan, MD, Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, School of Medicine, West Virginia University.

The purpose of this study is to compare the three groups (weekly, biweekly, and monthly) who are participating in Comprehensive Opioid Addiction Treatment (COAT), on smoking behavior outcomes after receiving cessation treatment (Varenicline + Counseling).

Evaluation of Yoga as an effective adjunctive intervention in the treatment Opioid Use Disorder in patients receiving Treatment as Usual Medication Assisted Treatment with Buprenorphine/Naloxone. Funded by a $2,700 WVU Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry Departmental grant.

PI: Kimberly Waibogha, MSW, LICSW., CO-I: Kathleen Chiasson-Downs, LPC, ALPS, AADC, RYT., School of Medicine, West Virginia University.

An evaluation of treatment outcomes among patients with Opioid Use Disorders on Buprenorphine/Naloxone receiving treatment as usual (TAU) vs. mindfulness intervention plus TAU.  Funded by a $10,900 WVU Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry. Also supported by $10,000 Center for Neuroscience COBRE grant.

PI: Laura Lander, MSW., L.I.C.S.W., School of Medicine, West Virginia University.

This pilot study is intended to determine if adding mindfulness-based relapse prevention to the Treatment as usual (TAU) care standard for those receiving treatment for opioid use disorder (i.e. medication-assisted treatment with Buprenorphine/Naloxone (Suboxone FILM®) is acceptable to participants and feasible to implement.  Outcomes measured include relapse, retention in treatment, craving, depression, anxiety and changes in brain structure as measured on MRI.

Opioid Dependence and Domestic Violence: A study of intimate partner violence and child abuse and neglect in families with opioid dependent fathers receiving buprenorphine. Funded by a $6,787 WVU Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry Departmental grant.

PI: Joan Doris, D.S.W., M.S.W., School of Medicine, West Virginia University, CO-I: Nevine Esthaphan, MD., School of Medicine, West Virginia University.

Treatment Outcome Comparison between face-to-face and Telepsychiatry Medicated Assisted Treatment Buprenorphine for opioid dependence: a two year retrospective data analysis. Funded by a $4,000 WVU Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry internal grant.

PI: Wanhong Zheng, MD., School of Medicine, West Virginia University. CO-I's: Ebony Dix, MD., Laura Lander, MSW., LICSW, Patrick Marshalek, MD., Ebony Dix, MD., Sijin Wen, PhD. School of Medicine, West Virginia University.

The primary aims of this study are to: retrospectively review clinic records to compare the effect of face-to-face and telepsychiatry MAT programs for opioid dependence treatment on three outcomes: (1) retention rate in weekly and biweekly groups; (2) average time to get to first 90 consecutive days sobriety in biweekly and monthly groups; (3) Relapse rates in weekly and biweekly groups.

Prescription Stimulant Use Pattern among College Students.

PI's: Wanhong Zheng,MD., PhD., Brian Quigley, MD., Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, WVU School of Medicine.  Funded by a 2014 BMED Department internal Grant.

The objective of this study is to determine prescription stimulant use pattern of college students who are treated with stimulants for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; to investigate the incidence of concomitant use of prescription stimulant and other popular college drugs such as alcohol and marijuana; to understand college students' awareness of consequence of mixing use of stimulants and other drugs.