Section of Treatment, Research, and Education in Addiction Medicine

Research

STREAM Research seeks to transform the understanding and treatment of substance use disorders through inquiry that bridges disciplines, populations, and care settings. Faculty and trainees engage in collaborative studies that illuminate the biological, behavioral, and structural forces that influence substance use, treatment engagement, and recovery. By integrating perspectives from medicine, psychology, public health, and implementation science, researchers are identifying new ways to predict risk, personalize care, and strengthen systems of support for people affected by addiction.

Projects within the section span the full continuum of substance use care, from early prevention and screening to long-term recovery and harm reduction. Investigators are examining how health policies, clinical practices, and social determinants shape access to evidence-based treatments, as well as how stigma and inequities intersect with addiction care. Other studies focus on the development and evaluation of novel interventions, including digital health tools, behavioral therapies, and integrated models of care that link hospital, outpatient, and community settings.

A cornerstone of this research portfolio is the NIDA Clinical Trials Network (CTN) Appalachian Node, co-directed by faculty at the University of Pittsburgh. This initiative unites researchers and clinicians across multiple institutions, including West Virginia University, Penn State College of Medicine, and the University of Maryland-Baltimore, to conduct community-informed, multi-site clinical trials addressing substance use disorders in both rural and urban settings. Through the Appalachian Node, the section contributes to national efforts to test new treatments, evaluate harm reduction strategies, and disseminate findings that improve real-world outcomes for individuals and families affected by substance use. The Node’s partnerships extend to the PaTH Research Network, linking data from nine academic health systems to enable large-scale analyses of treatment effectiveness and health disparities.

These studies are guided by collaboration with a diverse Community Advisory Board, comprising individuals with lived experience, clinicians, policy makers, and service providers, to ensure that research priorities reflect community needs. In addition to advancing discovery, the Node and the section’s broader research programs emphasize education, workforce development, and the rapid translation of new evidence into practice. Together, these efforts aim to reduce overdose deaths, expand equitable access to care, and improve the lives of people and communities across Appalachia and beyond.