New England Consortium Node member: Angela Haeny, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry and director of the Racial Equity & Addiction Lab, was the recipient of the 2023 Early Career Investigator Award from the Translational Mechanisms of Behavior Change (MOBC) Satellite Meeting at the Research Society on Alcohol (RSA). New Publication including NEC Node members: Ren Boyu, Lipsitz Stuart R, Weiss Roger D, Fitzmaurice Garrett M. Methods for handling missing binary data in substance use disorder trials. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2023 Sep 1;250:110897. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110897. Epub 2023 Jul 13. PMID: 37544038 New Publication including NEC Node members: Paschen-Wolff M, Greenfield SF, Kathryn McHugh R, Burlew K, Pavlicova M, Choo TH, Barbosa-Leiker C, Ruglass LM, Mennenga S, Rotrosen J, Nunes EV, Campbell ANC. Clinical and psychosocial outcomes by sex among individuals prescribed buprenorphine-naloxone (BUP-NX) or extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) for opioid use disorder. Am J Addict. 2023 Aug 15. doi: 10.1111/ajad.13463. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37583120 New Publication including a NEC Node Participating Site (Boston Medical Center): Liu J, Pan Y, Nelson MC, Gooden LK, Metsch LR, Rodriguez AE, Tross S, Del Rio C, Mandler RN, Feaster DJ. Strategies of Managing Repeated Measures: Using Synthetic Random Forest to Predict HIV Viral Suppression Status Among Hospitalized Persons with HIV. AIDS Behav. 2023 Sep;27(9):2915-2931. doi: 10.1007/s10461-023-04015-1. Epub 2023 Feb 5. PMID: 36739589, PMCID: PMC10403627.

NIDA News Release Buprenorphine initiation in the ER found safe and effective for individuals with OUD who use fentanyl. NIDA News, March 30, 2023. Referencing findings: D’Onofrio G, Hawk KF, Perrone J, et al. Incidence of Precipitated Withdrawal During a Multisite Emergency Department–Initiated Buprenorphine Clinical Trial in the Era of Fentanyl. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(3):e236108. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.6108 New Publication Kropp FB, Smid MC, Lofwall MR, Wachman EM, Martin PR, Murphy SM, Wilder CM, Winhusen TJ. Collaborative care programs for pregnant and postpartum individuals with opioid use disorder: Organizational characteristics of sites participating in the NIDA CTN0080 MOMs study. J Subst Use Addict Treat. 2023 Apr 4;149:209030. doi: 10.1016/j.josat.2023.209030. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37023858. Posted April 17, 2023

CTN Western States Node investigators Dan Hartung and Elizabeth Waddell recently published findings from their CDC-funded project, Reducing Overdose After Release from Incarceration (PI: Waddell) that demonstrate risk of fatal and non-fatal opioid overdose risk is 10x greater among Oregon adults releasing from prison than in the state’s general population. Risk is even higher among women, those with documented substance use disorder and mental health treatment needs, and in the two weeks post release. Read the article in JSAT here. These findings are already driving policy discussions in Oregon and were covered in local media, emphasizing the need to start treatment prior to release and to allocate resources for more intentional release planning that connects adults in custody to community treatment. Check out the news reports here: Posted April 5, 2023

January 8, 2023 Northeast Node Science Series kicks off its ’22-23 Academic Year with an in-depth review of cannabis as a potential pharmacological adjunct to MOUD In November 2022, the Northeast Node welcomed Dr. Ziva Cooper of the UCLA Center for Cannabis & Cannabinoids to kick off the Node’s ’22-23 Academic Year Science Series. Dr. Cooper’s presentation, “Cannabis and Opioids: Promising pharmacology to address the opioid epidemic?” gave a brief overview of cannabis and the pharmacology of phytocannabinoids. Preclinical studies and randomized controlled trials have examined the potential for cannabinoids to modulate opioid effects and withdrawal symptoms, opioid abuse liability, and opioid analgesia. Dr. Cooper reviewed basic cannabinoid pharmacology and the state of evidence supporting the utility of cannabinoids for opioid use disorder and as an adjunct to opioids for pain management. The recorded presentation is available to all on the Northeast Node’s website. On Thursday, February 9, 2023 (12-1pm ET), the Science Series will welcome Craig R. Rush, PhD, from the University of Kentucky as he presents “Treating Stimulant Use Disorders in the Context of the Opioid Crisis: A Review.” Please email Northeast.Node.CTN@Dartmouth.edu to join the Science Series or Northeast Node mailing lists to stay in the know about the Science Series.

Dr. José Szapocznik, Multiple PI of CTN’s Florida Node Alliance and Professor and Chair Emeritus at the Department of Public Health Sciences, of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, was elected to the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida (ASEMFL), an evidence-based scientific advisory body focused on providing expert advice to state government and other organizations on current and future challenges facing the world and Florida. Recognizing four and a half decades of important contributions to developing and testing interventions in the areas of mental health and drug abuse, ASEMFL elected Dr. Szapocznik for his “exemplary contributions to prevention science and globally impactful substance use prevention for youth and families.” Dr. Szapocznik’s formal induction will take place during the ASEMFL’s 2022 annual meeting in early November. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Szapocznik for this prestigious accomplishment!