Experts by Expertise: Addictions and Substance Use

For help reaching an expert on deadline, please contact UB's media relations team at 716-645-6969 or ub-news@buffalo.edu.

Note to members of the news media:

The correct name of the university is “University at Buffalo,” not “University of Buffalo.”

  • Head shot of Edward Bednarczyk standing in a pharmacy.
    6/23/23

    Edward Bednarczyk

    Clinical Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice

    Expertise: medical marijuana, tobacco sales in pharmacies, headaches and migraines, pharmacy practice

    Phone: 716-645-4805

    Email: eb@buffalo.edu

  • Head shot of Richard D. Blondell.
    11/7/19

    Richard D. Blondell

    Professor Emeritus of Family Medicine

    Expertise: addiction, substance abuse, opioids

    Contact: Richard Blondell can be reached most quickly through Ellen Goldbaum in University Communications at 716-645-4605 or goldbaum@buffalo.edu, or Douglas Sitler in University Communications at 716-645-9069 or drsitler@buffalo.edu.

  • Head shot of Elizabeth Bowen.
    4/12/23

    Elizabeth Bowen

    Associate Professor of Social Work

    Expertise: homelessness, health issues affecting homeless populations, recovery from alcohol and other drug problems

    Phone: 716-645-1258

    Email: eabowen@buffalo.edu

  • Head shot of R. Lorraine Collins.
    11/28/23

    R. Lorraine Collins

    SUNY Distinguished Professor of Community Health and Health Behavior

    Expertise: substance abuse, cannabis, malt liquor and marijuana use, drinking restraint, smoking, women's issues

    Phone: 716-829-6951

    Email: lcollins@buffalo.edu

  • Head shot of Tildabeth Doscher, University at Buffalo addiction medicine and substance use treatment expert.
    6/16/20

    Tildabeth Doscher

    Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine

    Expertise: addiction medicine, substance use treatment, opioid epidemic, methadone

    Phone: 716-829-6775. Doscher can also be reached through Ellen Goldbaum in University Communications at 716-645-4605 or goldbaum@buffalo.edu, or Douglas Sitler in University Communications at 716-645-9069 or drsitler@buffalo.edu.

    Email: tildabet@buffalo.edu

  • Portrait of Sarah Cercone Heavey.
    12/16/22

    Sarah Cercone Heavey

    Clinical Assistant Professor of Community Health and Health Behavior

    Expertise: opioid use disorder, medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder, naloxone, overdose, veterans’ mental health, suicide prevention, mental health 

    Phone: 716-829-6752

    Email: scheavey@buffalo.edu

  • Head shot of David Herzberg.
    3/3/23

    David Herzberg

    Professor of History

    Expertise: opioid epidemic; history of prescription drugs, street drugs and other psychoactive substances; drug policy and drug wars; drugs and popular culture; addiction; drugs and social inequalities of race and gender 
    Phone: 716-645-8416

    Email: herzberg@buffalo.edu

  • Portrait of David M. Holmes, University at Buffalo global health equity and medicine and spirituality expert.
    9/30/21

    David M. Holmes

    Clinical Associate Professor of Family Medicine

    Expertise: global health, health care for underserved communities and human trafficking victims, spirituality in health, religious exemptions for vaccines, addiction medicine, wilderness medicine, travel medicine

    Email: dholmes@buffalo.edu

    Contact: David M. Holmes can be reached through Ellen Goldbaum in University Communications at 716-645-4605 or goldbaum@buffalo.edu, or Douglas Sitler in University Communications at 716-645-9069 or drsitler@buffalo.edu.

  • Head shot of Lynn T. Kozlowski.
    9/19/23

    Lynn T. Kozlowski

    Professor and Dean Emeritus of Community Health and Health Behavior

    Expertise: nicotine addiction, smoking, vaping, tobacco and e-cigarette policy, FDA regulations on nicotine products

    Phone: 716-829-6770

    Email: lk22@buffalo.edu

  • Head shot of Jessica Kruger, University at Buffalo faculty expert on consumption and addictive behaviors.
    2/9/24

    Jessica Kruger

    Clinical Associate Professor of Community Health and Health Behavior

    Expertise: cannabis, binge-watching, consumption, addictive behaviors, substance use and abuse, health behavior decision-making

    Phone: 716-829-6748

    Email: jskruger@buffalo.edu

  • Head shot of Kenneth E. Leonard.
    6/27/23

    Kenneth E. Leonard

    Director of the Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions

    Expertise: alcohol, substance abuse and aggression; effects of substance use on marriage, families and relationships; interpersonal (domestic) violence; medical and recreational marijuana; prescription painkillers  

    Phone: 716-887-2566

    Email: leonard@ria.buffalo.edu

  • Portrait of Joshua J. Lynch, University at Buffalo opioid and addiction medicine expert.
    8/17/23

    Joshua J. Lynch

    Clinical Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine

    Expertise: addiction medicine; opioid crisis; telemedicine and medication-assisted treatment and linkage to care for people with substance use disorders; critical care transport

    Email: Jjlynch2@buffalo.edu

    Contact: Joshua J. Lynch can also be reached through Ellen Goldbaum in University Communications at 716-645-4605 or goldbaum@buffalo.edu, or Douglas Sitler in University Communications at 716-645-9069 or drsitler@buffalo.edu.

  • Andrew Talal.
    5/1/17

    Andrew Talal, MD

    Professor of Medicine

    Expertise: diagnosing and treating hepatitis C virus, developing and evaluating new therapies for liver disease  

    Phone: 716-829-6208

    Email: ahtalal@buffalo.edu

  • Jennifer Temple.
    8/16/21

    Jennifer L. Temple

    Professor of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, and Community Health and Health Behavior

    Expertise: caffeine use among kids, energy drinks, obesity

    Phone: 716-829-5593

    Email: jltemple@buffalo.edu

  • Head shot of Panayotis (Peter) K. Thanos, University at Buffalo addiction and reward pathways expert.
    4/4/23

    Panayotis (Peter) K. Thanos

    Senior Research Scientist of Pharmacology and Toxicology

    Expertise: ADHD treatment, addiction; brain imaging; alcohol and drug abuse, obesity, binge eating disorder, bariatric surgery, prenatal nicotine use, prenatal cannabis

    Phone: 716-881-7520

    Email: pthanos@ria.buffalo.edu