Thank you for a great Symposium! We hope to see you in 2027.
The Bridging Connections in Addiction Research (BCAR) 2025 Symposium was held on February 13, 2025, at the University Club at the University of Pittsburgh. There were over 100 attendees representing basic, clinical, public health, and community-based research. Keynote speaker Sharon Walsh, PhD, from the University of Kentucky delivered an excellent talk titled, “The HEALing Communities Study: An Ambitious Undertaking to Reduce Opioid Overdose Deaths.” Partners from Community Care Behavioral Health’s OUR Hair and Magee-Womens Hospital participated in a panel that highlighted the importance of community engagement in designing and executing research projects.
When asked how the Symposium will change how individuals conduct research, one attendee stated, "Yes, I feel like I learned so much about how researchers adapt [to outside interference] in research projects, how to integrate the community in this work, about basic and clinical science projects (since a lot of what our group does is implementation-based), and the importance of intersectionality and collaboration in addiction medicine. I will go forward with these lessons in mind, considering things from multiple perspectives as well as integrating myself more with the community to learn from them.”
Congratulations to our Poster Abstract Award winners!
Alcohol-cancer risk communication on social media: a content analysis of alcohol-related Instagram and TikTok posts. Presented by Joseph Alejandro, MSPPM (School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh).
Chronic Alcohol exposure induces a long-lasting latent pain state that is kept in remission by opioid receptors. Presented by Adam Brandner (Center for Neuroscience, Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh).
Examining Treatment Engagement and Retention in Care at a Low-Barrier Mobile MOUD Clinic. Presented by Aaron Arnold, MPH (Prevention Point Pittsburgh).
Exploring Community Members’ Perceptions of Resiliencies to Housing Eviction and Alcohol-related Harms. Presented by Michelle Dougherty, MPH (School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh).
