NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s Substance Abuse Research Education and Training (SARET) program in the Department of Population Health’s Section on Tobacco, Alcohol, and Drug Use educates students and encourages their interest in the rapidly evolving field of addiction research. Through the program, trainees from diverse health disciplines learn about a variety of addiction-related topics as well as the core concepts of clinical research. All trainees work on a research project with a faculty mentor.

Anyone can access the program’s free, modular, web-based curriculum. The full training program, however, which includes a mentored research project, is only open to students at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU College of Dentistry, NYU Rory Myers College of Nursing, NYU Silver School of Social Work, and NYU College of Global Public Health. This program is supported by a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

Training Experiences

Trainees take SARET modules while completing their other graduate work at NYU and have the option of working on a mentored research project over a summer.

Modules

You complete six self-directed, web-based modules that provide a dynamic introduction to core concepts of clinical research and address a variety of addiction-related topics: epidemiology, neurobiology, screening, treatment, and the personal impact of substance use disorders. This modular curriculum, designed by an interdisciplinary team of educators and researchers, has been successfully used by more than 6,000 students and educators at top institutions.

Mentored Research

Students are paired with a faculty mentor to complete a research project in the field of substance use disorders and supported by a stipend for the project. NYU and NYU Langone faculty are national leaders in addiction-related research.

Past research projects include investigating dopamine transporters, conducting imaging studies of stimulant users, evaluating pharmacologic treatment in primary care for heroin and prescription narcotic dependence, and studying the role of spirituality in recovery. In the videos below, students describe their research projects in their own words.

Carina Katigbak, NYU Rory Myers College of Nursing
Mentor: Donna Shelley, MD, MPH
Project: Literature Review and Screenings for Pilot Study in a Dental Clinic Evaluating a Computer-Based Screening Tool for Alcohol and Tobacco Use

Noah Berland, NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Mentor: Babak Tofighi, MD
Project: Opioid Overdose Prevention Training for First-Year Medical Students

Soo Yoo, NYU College of Dentistry
Mentor: Peter Loomer, DDS, PhD
Project: Screening for Alcohol Abuse in Dental Patients by Dental Hygienists

Alexandrea Hatcher, NYU Silver School of Social Work
Mentor: Helena B. Hansen, MD, PhD
Project: Perceptions of Stigma Among Patients Receiving Buprenorphine Treatment

Melissa Velasquez, NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Mentor: Joshua D. Lee, MD, MSc
Project: Perceptions of Opioid Treatment and Re-Entry After Release from Jail

How to Apply

Prospective students can apply to the training program from December through February of each year by submitting a completed application form to Mia Malone, project manager, at mia.malone@nyulangone.org or by fax to 646-501-2706.

Faculty and Staff

Our faculty are experts in substance use disorder science and represent a variety of disciplines.

Marc N. Gourevitch, MD, MPH
Principal Investigator
Chair and the Muriel G. and George W. Singer Professor of Population Health, Department of Population Health
Professor, Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry

Kathleen Hanley, MD
Curriculum Director
Associate Director, Primary Care Internal Medicine Residency Program
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine

Jennifer McNeely, MD, MS
Associate Professor, Departments of Population Health and Medicine

Michelle M. Knapp, DNP MSN
Clinical Assistant Professor, NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing

Jennifer Manuel, PhD
Associate Professor of Social Work, NYU Silver School of Social Work

Danielle Ompad, PhD, MHS
Associate Professor of Epidemiology, NYU College of Global Public Health

Mia Malone
Senior Research Coordinator

Contact Us

We are located in Manhattan at 180 Madison Avenue on the 17th floor. For more information about the program, please contact Ms. Malone at mia.malone@nyulangone.org or 646-501-3577.