Experts by Expertise: Opioid Epidemic

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 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 Yu-Ping Chang, University at Buffalo caregiving and dementia expert.
    8/16/21

    Yu-Ping Chang

    Patricia H. and Richard E. Garman Endowed Professor of Nursing

    Expertise: mental health; substance abuse and addiction; family caregiving and dementia

    Phone: 716-829-2015

    Email: yc73@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

  • 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.

  • Head shot of Nancy Nielsen, University at Buffalo health care policy expert.
    6/23/23

    Nancy Nielsen

    Senior Associate Dean for Health Policy in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

    Expertise: Affordable Care Act, Medicare for all, health care policy, Medicare and Medicaid policy, clinicians’ response to the opioid epidemic

    Phone: 716-207-6866

    Email: nielse@buffalo.edu

  • Portrait of Sarahmona Przybyla, University at Buffalo HIV and STI prevention expert.
    12/18/20

    Sarahmona Przybyla

    Assistant Professor of Community Health and Health Behavior

    Expertise: HIV/AIDS prevention, antiretroviral therapy adherence, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), public health preparedness and response

    Phone: 716-829-6750

    Email: mona@buffalo.edu