NIH HEAL Initiative Director’s Awards

The NIH HEAL Initiative® Director’s Awards recognize researchers for excellence in Research, Mentorship, Interdisciplinary Collaboration, and Community Partnership. Researchers in the early to middle stages of their careers are recognized with a Trailblazer Award or honorable mention. 

Browse the five award categories and the inaugural awardees from 2023.

Trailblazer 

The HEAL Director’s Trailblazer Award recognizes HEAL-funded researchers in the early to middle stages of their careers, across all disciplines, who are applying an innovative approach or creativity in their research or are expanding HEAL research into addressing the pain and opioid crisis in new directions. The 2023 awardees demonstrate the ability to develop or apply novel techniques, approaches, models, or methodologies to HEAL research. 

Meredith Adams looking at the camera and smiling

Meredith Adams, M.D., M.S.

Wake Forest Baptist Health 

Funded Project: Wake Forest IMPOWR Dissemination Education and Coordination Center (IDEA-CC) 

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Amanda Bunting looking at the camera and smiling

Amanda Bunting, Ph.D.

New York University Grossman School of Medicine – Department of Population Health 

Funded Project: Adaption of the STAIR-NT Trauma Intervention for Polysubstance Populations

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Ryan Logan looking at the camera and smiling

Ryan Logan, Ph.D.

UMass Chan Medical School

Funded Project: Cell-type specific role of circadian-dependent transcription in fentanyl-induced synaptic and behavioral plasticity

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William Renthal looking at the camera and smiling

William Renthal, M.D., Ph.D.

Brigham and Women's Hospital 

Funded Project: Harvard PRECISION Human Pain Center 

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Chelsea Shover looking at the camera and smiling

Chelsea Shover, Ph.D.

University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Medicine – Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research

Funded Project: Predicting Fatal and Non-Fatal Overdose in Los Angeles County with Rapid Overdose Surveillance Dashboard to Target Street-Based Addiction Treatment and Harm Reduction Services

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Excellence in Research

The HEAL Director’s Award for Excellence in Research recognizes HEAL-funded investigators who exemplify research excellence, support broad dissemination of key research, and demonstrate leadership in the scientific community. The 2023 awardees’ development of experimental practices, models, and approaches have had a major, transformative impact on the pain and addiction research fields. 

Gail Donofrio looking at the camera and smiling

Gail D'Onofrio, M.D., M.S.

Yale School of Medicine 

Funded Project: National Institute on Drug Abuse Clinical Trial Network: New England Consortium Node

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Lisa Saldana looking at the camera and smiling

Lisa Saldana, Ph.D.

Oregon Social Learning Center 

Funded Project: Disrupting Social Determinants of Health to Improve Substance Use and Mental Health Outcomes for Parents in Rural Regions

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Gregory Scherrer looking at the camera and smiling

Gregory Scherrer, Ph.D.

University of North Carolina School of Medicine – Cell Biology and Physiology

Funded Project: Targeting GPCRs in Amygdalar and Cortical Neural Ensembles to Treat Pain Aversion

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Mentorship

The HEAL Director’s Award for Mentorship recognizes HEAL-funded researchers who demonstrate exceptional commitment to the development and mentorship of early career scientists in the pain and addiction research fields. The 2023 awardees support the independent career trajectories of mentees, are committed to creating a supportive environment, demonstrate integrity, are committed to inclusion and diversity, and help prepare researchers to become mentors themselves. 

Erin Bonar looking at the camera and smiling

Erin Bonar, Ph.D.

Michigan Medicine – Department of Psychiatry

Funded Project: Optimized Interventions to Prevent Opioid Use Disorder among Adolescents and Young Adults in the Emergency Department

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Jessica Merlin looking at the camera and smiling

Jessica Merlin, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A.

University of Pittsburgh – Department of Medicine 

Funded Project: Tailored Retention and Engagement for Equitable Treatment of OUD and Pain (TREETOP)

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Thaddeus Tarpey looking at the camera and smiling

Thaddeus Tarpey, Ph.D.

NYU Grossman School of Medicine – Department of Population Health

Funded Project: EPPIC-NET DCC

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Katie Witkiewitz looking at the camera and smiling

Katie Witkiewitz, Ph.D.

University of New Mexico – Center on Alcohol, Substance Use & Addictions 

Funded Project: Integrative Treatment for Achieving Holistic Recovery from Comorbid Chronic Pain and Opioid Use Disorder

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Interdisciplinary Collaboration

The HEAL Director’s Award for Interdisciplinary Collaboration recognizes HEAL-funded researchers who have bridged relationships across fields of science, resulting in transdisciplinary, cutting-edge, idea-generating research. The 2023 awardees prioritize collaborations integrating diverse levels of analysis, methodologies, ways of thinking, and scientific communities.