Faculty
Mark Greenwald, Ph.D.
Mark Greenwald, Ph.D. is Professor (tenured), Gertrude Levin Endowed Chair in Addiction & Pain Biology, and Associate Chair for Research in the Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences (DPBN) at Wayne State University School of Medicine (WSU SOM). He directs the Substance Addiction Research Division, its Human Pharmacology Laboratory and outpatient treatment research in the DPBN. He is also Adjunct Professor in the Dept. of Pharmacy Practice, and a Scientific Member of the Karmanos Cancer Institute.
The NIH (especially NIDA) has continuously funded his research since 1996. Dr. Greenwald has been PI or MPI on numerous grants and industry contracts totaling >$35 million, and co-investigator or mentor on many other NIH-, State of Michigan-, and foundation-supported research and training projects totaling >$40 million.
His scientific program encompasses pharmacological (dose/exposure), environmental (e.g. stress, cues, non-drug alternatives) and individual-difference (e.g. genetics, impulsivity) determinants of drug-seeking/use, and developing innovative mechanism-driven medication and neuromodulation (medical device) treatments. His research primarily focuses on opioid use disorder, but includes cocaine, cannabis, and tobacco use disorders, as well as the biology & treatment of pain conditions (e.g. peripheral neuropathy).
He educates healthcare professionals worldwide and medical, graduate, and undergraduate students on the neurobiology of addiction, harm reduction, and treatment of substance use disorders.
Leslie Lundahl, Ph.D.
Dr. Lundahl is Professor (tenured) in the Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at Wayne State University School of Medicine. She is a fully licensed Clinical Psychologist with expertise and >20 years of experience in diagnostic assessment and treating substance use disorders.
Dr. Lundahl has led several NIDA-funded projects on cannabinoids to examine (1) use of a drug discrimination model to test medications for cannabis use disorder, e.g. whether oral THC (CB1 receptor agonist) alters discriminative stimulus effects of cannabis and choice to smoke cannabis; (2) specificity of cannabis cue-induced craving paradigm, e.g. whether oral THC altered cue-induced craving; (3) use of the antioxidant drug N-acetylcysteine to attenuate cannabis cue-induced craving and seeking behavior; and (4) effects of acute stress and drug cues on cannabis-seeking behavior. She is currently investigating the interaction of cannabidiol (CBD) with morphine on pain sensitivity, and the role of cannabinoids (THC and CBD) in managing PTSD symptoms and suicidality among military veterans. Dr. Lundahl also mentors a substantial number of trainees (e.g. psychiatry residents, masters-level clinical psychology students).
David Ledgerwood, Ph.D.
Dr. Ledgerwood is Professor (tenured) in the Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at the Wayne State University School of Medicine, a licensed clinical psychologist, and Director of the Nicotine and Tobacco Research Division (https://tobacco.med.wayne.edu).
His research covers multiple types of addictions including gambling disorder, nicotine use disorder and various other substance use problems. He is an internationally recognized expert in the area of gambling disorder, and has published research on the etiology, clinical features, and treatment of this disorder. His recent research on nicotine use disorder includes studies of smoking cessation interventions, risk factors for smoking among young adults, and use of electronic cigarettes. He also has conducted several studies examining behavioral treatments for substance use disorders, particularly behavioral incentive (contingency management) approaches. His recent research has applied behavioral incentives to parents of teens in juvenile drug court, persons with HIV who want to quit smoking, and individuals living in rural recovery housing. Dr. Ledgerwood is also an investigator on State of Michigan funded studies to examine the use of cannabinoids to treat mental health symptoms among veterans with PTSD and suicidality.
Eric Woodcock, Ph.D.
Dr. Woodcock is an Assistant Professor (tenure-track) in the Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences (DPBN) at the WSU SOM. He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Pharmacology and a Scientific Member of the Karmanos Cancer Institute. Dr. Woodcock completed his PhD training in Translational Neuroscience at WSU supported by predoctoral NRSA (F31 DA040369) and Thomas C. Rumble Fellowships. He completed his postdoctoral training at Yale University supported by a T32 training program (T32 DA022975) and Career Transition Award (K99 DA048125) before returning to WSU as faculty in 2021.
His research utilizes neuroimaging, behavioral pharmacology, and neuromodulation to investigate brain-behavior mechanisms that underlie drug addiction. In particular, Dr. Woodcock’s research focuses on better understanding factors that contribute to relapse with the overall goal of identifying novel treatment targets. Recent studies have used PET and fMRI/MRS to investigate the roles of stress and neuroinflammation on executive function, cue reactivity, and drug seeking behavior. Dr. Woodcock’s research is supported by multiple grants including from the National Institutes of Health (R00 DA048125), State of Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency, and Peter F. McManus Charitable Trust. He has been continuously funded by NIH since 2016 receiving F-, T-, K-, and R-type grant funding support.
Hilary Marusak, Ph.D.
Dr. Marusak is an Associate Professor (tenured) in the Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences (DPBN) at the WSU SOM. She also holds Adjunct appointments in the Dept. of Pharmacology, and Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development. She is a Scientific Member of the Karmanos Cancer Institute and the CURES Center, and a Science Advisor for the nonprofit organization Kids Kicking Cancer. She completed her doctoral and postdoctoral training at WSU, funded by a NIMH Career Development award.
Dr. Marusak runs the THINK lab (Trauma History Investigation of Neurodevelopment in Kids: https://wsuthinklab.mystrikingly.com), which studies the impacts of childhood environmental adversity (e.g. stress, interpersonal trauma, air pollution) on brain development, and neurodevelopmental mechanisms leading to anxiety/fear-based disorders. Dr. Marusak uses multiple techniques (e.g. fMRI, EEG, biomarkers, genetics, behavioral approaches) to investigate the role of the endocannabinoid system in fronto-cortical brain development, stress reactivity, and the effects of exercise, meditation, and cannabinoid (e.g. CBD) administration. Her research is supported by multiple grants from the State of Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency, NIMH (K01 MH119241, R01 MH132830), NICHD (R21 HD105882), and she mentors many trainees.
Steven Nieto, Ph.D.
Dr. Nieto is a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at WSU SOM. He earned his Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience from the University of Houston, where his graduate research was supported by a predoctoral NRSA (F31 AA026495). He completed postdoctoral training at UCLA, supported by both institutional (T32 DA024635) and individual (F32 AA029288) postdoctoral fellowships from the NIH. Dr. Nieto joined WSU in July 2025.
Dr. Nieto’s research focuses on the etiology and treatment of substance use disorders, particularly alcohol use disorder (AUD). His research uses human laboratory techniques including experimental psychopathology (alcohol cue-reactivity, alcohol administration) and pharmacology to better understand the causes and correlates of AUD and to identify promising interventions to reduce problematic alcohol use. More recently, he has begun using neuroimaging methods to complement this research program.
A major goal of his research is to improve the translational validity of human laboratory paradigms used to screen medications, thereby enhancing their predictive power for clinical outcomes. His current interests also extend to understanding and addressing heavy drinking among individuals with medical conditions such as chronic pain and cancer.
Outside the lab, he enjoys attending music festivals, watching horror films, and traveling with his family.
Connie Hsaio, M.D.
Dr. Hsaio is an Assistant Professor (Clinical Scholar track) in the Depts. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences (DPBN) and Internal Medicine at WSU SOM. She holds an Adjunct appointment in the Dept. of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Hsaio earned her MD from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and completed her residency training in combined Internal Medicine/Psychiatry at Tulane University School of Medicine, where she was a chief resident and graduated with Distinction in Primary Care. She completed her fellowship training in Addiction Psychiatry at Yale New Haven Hospital, where she was also a scholar in the Research in Addiction Medicine Scholars (RAMS) program. At Yale, she also completed a research fellowship (T32 DA007238) and was an Instructor in the Dept. of Psychiatry before joining faculty at WSU SOM in 2025.
Dr. Hsaio is interested in issues of addiction at the intersection of medicine and psychiatry. Her research focuses on sleep health among patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). She plans to study the effectiveness of interventions to improve sleep health and secondary outcomes related to substance use, medical and psychiatric comorbidities and quality of life. She also intends to improve screening, diagnosis, and treatment of sleep disorders such as sleep-disordered breathing and restless legs syndrome among patients with OUD.
Dr. Hsaio has a longstanding interest in addressing health disparities, especially for individuals living with serious mental illness and substance use disorders. She is currently building a program to expand buprenorphine prescribing in a primary care setting. Her clinical work also spans HIV collaborative care, consultation-liaison psychiatry, and a federally certified opioid treatment program.
Outside of work, Dr. Hsaio loves spending time with her Woodbridge community, listening and dancing to Detroit techno, and rooting for Michigan football (Go Blue!).
Research Staff
Monya Ali
Monya graduated from WSU in 2023 with a degree in Public Health. Prior to transitioning as a full-time research assistant in May 2023, she volunteered in the lab, assisting Tabitha Moses with her research regarding the use of rTMS to improve treatment outcomes and reduce stress in individuals with opioid use disorder. Monya aspires to go to medical school and become a physician in the near future.
Rose Harrison
(Taylor) Rose Harrison is currently a WSU undergraduate, pursuing a B.S. in Neuroscience and a B.A. in Spanish. She first volunteered in our lab prior to joining full-time, assisting Tabitha Moses in her research examining effects of rTMS on treatment outcomes for patients with opioid use disorder. Rose also has experience as a Medical Assistant with knowledge of scribing and assisting during dermatologic examinations/ procedures. Upon earning her undergraduate degrees, Rose plans to pursue a Ph.D. with aspirations of conducting her own studies on substance use disorders.
Zoey Preza
Zoey is a research assistant for the Warrior C.A.R.E. project. She graduated from Cornell University in 2025 with a B.S. in Human Development. With extensive experience as a research assistant at Cornell University and the University of Southern California, she has contributed to projects examining postpartum depression, PTSD, and the role of social ties in mental health. Throughout her college career, Zoey focused on mental health initiatives, including coordinating a large-scale event to support students experiencing seasonal depression. She plans to pursue a career in psychiatry, with interests in trauma, suicidality, and the neuroendocrinology of stress, investigating how stress hormones and brain chemistry influence mood, cognition, and behavior. Outside of her professional pursuits, Zoey enjoys hot yoga, beach walks in her hometown of Santa Monica, and attending Tigers and Dodgers games.
Paula Qefaliaj
Paula is the research coordinator for the Warrior C.A.R.E. project. Paula graduated from WSU in 2022 with a B.S. in Honors Psychology and minors in Statistics and Italian. With more than 7 years experience as a research assistant and coordinator at WSU, The Ohio State University, and Michigan State University, she has cultivated a strong foundation in psychological research. Paula plans to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology. Her research interests focus on understanding how cross-cultural factors influence development and intersect with substance use and psychopathology. Outside of her professional pursuits, Paula enjoys sharing her passion for language by teaching Italian to children.
Alyson Renock
Alyson graduated from WSU with honors in 2021 with her B.S. in Honors Psychology and a minor in Biological Sciences. She is interested in research pertaining to neuropsychological correlates of trauma and their interactions with substance use, psychopathology, and rehabilitation. Alyson is now a WSU Social Work graduate student and is working part-time in the lab.
Rebeka Scheich
Rebeka is a research assistant for the Warrior C.A.R.E. project. She graduated from Central Michigan University (CMU) with a B.S. in Psychology and Substance Use Disorders in 2024 after earning an Associate of Arts in Liberal Studies from Mid-Michigan College. She has gained research experience as a research assistant at CMU and Wayne State University, contributing to research on ADHD and gambling disorders through the scope of neuropsychology, as well as directed forgetting within cognition. Rebeka plans to pursue a PhD in Psychology with the goal of a career in academia. Her research interests center on the intersection of cognition, personality, and decision-making, with a particular emphasis on how these processes contribute to risk-taking and substance use. Beyond research, she enjoys traveling, playing video games, and being entertained by her cat’s antics.
Jelena Simon
Jelena is a research assistant for the Warrior C.A.R.E. project. Jelena graduated from Michigan State University (MSU) in 2023 with a B.S. in Human Biology and Psychology. She later went on to graduate from the University of Michigan-Dearborn in 2025 with a M.S. in Clinical Health Psychology. Jelena has navigated her own research thesis project at the University of Michigan-Dearborn investigating the link between different personality traits and alcohol use in women, as well as several years of research exposure as a clinical recruitment coordinator at MSU working to meet NIH milestones. Furthermore, she has clinically relevant experience in working at a 24/7 sexual assault and suicidal hotline, providing neuropsychological and psychological evaluations, as well as leading court-mandated group therapy working with individuals diagnosed with a range of psychopathology including substance use disorder, depression, and trauma-related disorders. Overall, Jelena has established the groundwork to contribute to the clinical psychology realm. Ultimately, she aspires to earn her PhD where she plans to continue researching a wide range of interests including substance use, women's health, and trauma-related disorders. Outside of her work, Jelena enjoys spending time with her dog, taking road-trips, playing guitar, and cooking.
Current and Recent Graduate Students
Abbie Moen
Abbie is an MD/PhD student in the Translational Neuroscience Program, supervised by Dr. Mark Greenwald.
Projects:
Factor analysis of key variables in persons with poly-substance use guided by the Addictions Neuroclinical Assessment framework
Generation of an extended-release morphine dosing algorithm for persons with opioid use disorder
Examining effects of frontal-cortical theta burst stimulation (TBS) on drug and non-drug reward processing in persons with tobacco use disorder (dissertation)
Individual differences in opioid craving in persons with opioid use disorder
GLP-1 receptor agonist use and outcomes
Research on medical student education in the addictions
Marjorie (Marisa) Heule
Doctoral Student in Clinical Psychology, supervised by Dr. Leslie Lundahl and Dr. David Ledgerwood.
Projects:
Analysis of PATH tobacco data
Examination of how trauma and emotions intersect with chronic pain and opioid misuse
Medical Student Projects
DvA
Recent medical students (†) supervised by Dr. Mark Greenwald
Liam Browning
Browning L†, Cannoy C†, Moses TEH†, Lundahl LH, Ledgerwood DM, Greenwald MK (2024) Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder combined subtype exacerbates opioid use disorder consequences: mediation by impulsive phenotypes. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 259: 111292.
Tabitha Moses, MD, PhD
• Training medical students in opioid overdose prevention and response (several publications)
• Buprenorphine training during undergraduate medical education (published manuscript)
• Naloxone use and experiences in persons with opioid use disorder (in progress)
• The placebo effect in rTMS interventions for substance use disorder (manuscript in preparation)
Abbie Moen
• Medical student awareness and knowledge of Good Samaritan laws regarding opioid overdose response (manuscript in preparation)
• Assessing medical student concerns about managing overdose (in progress)
• Assessing knowledge of medical marijuana indications in medical students (in progress)
• Individual differences in opioid craving among regular heroin users during buprenorphine stabilization (manuscript in preparation), with Emi Ueda Martinez
• Dimensional assessment of addiction phenotypes in an opioid use disorder treatment population (manuscript in preparation)
• Effects of age and recent cocaine use on neurocognition in patients treated for opioid use disorder (in progress), with Urva Mehveen
• Effects of GLP-1 agonist use on consumption of alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, and caffeine (in progress)
Amolak Jhand
• Determinants and computational modeling of drug-choice sequences in heroin users (poster presentations and manuscript in preparation)
William Burstein
• Polysubstance use among primary cocaine users (two manuscripts in preparation)
Irene Chen and Danni Feng
• Hippocampal-dependent associative learning/ memory in daily cannabis-using persons living with HIV (published manuscript)
Recent medical students supervised by Dr. David Ledgerwood
Danishi and Mannat Bedi
Two manuscripts related to reasons for e-cigarette use: 1) Validity paper (published); and 2) examining differences in reasons for e-cigarette use based on gender and age (under review)
Meghana Jalagam
Working on systematic review of studies exploring the interrelationship between stress and discounting delayed rewards
Joyce Li
Preparing a survey project exploring psychological factors associated with food addiction
Daryl Nucum
Developing a project to explore the use of episodic future thinking for reducing delay discounting among individuals who smoke.
Recent medical students supervised by Dr. Leslie Lundahl
Kendahl Oberdorfer
Effects of cannabidiol alone and in combination with morphine on laboratory pain tasks.
Olivia Pakula
The effects of cannabis on the adolescent brain – a review
Alumni: Former Graduate Students and Research Staff
Former MD/PhD Student in the Translational Neuroscience Program, supervised by Dr. Mark Greenwald. Tabitha successfully defended her dissertation in February 2023 and completed medical school in May 2025. She is now on Psychiatry residency at the University of Washington on the research track. She continues to collaborate on projects in the lab.
Projects:
1) Distinguishing different types of negative consequences of heroin use
2) Race differences in substance use patterns among injection heroin users
3) Poly-substance use among regular heroin users
4) Genetic variation in behaviors and response to treatment in people with opioid use disorder
5) Survey of experiences obtaining naloxone
6) Education of medical students in substance use disorders and harm reduction techniques.
7) Effects of frontal-cortical repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on stress-related drug-seeking behavior and related phenotypes in individuals with opioid use disorder (dissertation)
Nicole Kouri
Doctoral student in clinical psychology, supervised by Dr. Leslie Lundahl and Dr. David Ledgerwood.
She is interested in (1) the intersection of interpersonal violence, post-traumatic stress and dissociation, and addiction; and (2) how systems, whether familial or institutional, promote potentially maladaptive coping strategies. Nicole also specializes in statistics and is a consultant for Wayne State's Research Design and Analysis Unit.
Nicole completed her clinical psychology internship at Columbia University, and defended her dissertation, while continuing to work on research data and manuscripts.
Halle Thomas
Doctoral student in clinical psychology, supervised by Dr. Leslie Lundahl and Dr. David Ledgerwood.
Halle is presently on her clinical psychology internship, while continuing to work on research data and manuscripts.
Shaylin Excell
Doctoral Student in Clinical Psychology, supervised by Dr. Leslie Lundahl and Dr. David Ledgerwood.
Projects:
1) Analysis of PATH tobacco data
2) Systematic review of the Pathways model of problem gambling
3) Examination of cannabis and tobacco smoking correlates of COVID-19
Krithika Prakash
Doctoral Student in Clinical Psychology, supervised by Dr. Leslie Lundahl and Dr. David Ledgerwood.
Projects:
1) Analysis of PATH tobacco data
2) Examination of cannabis and tobacco smoking correlates of COVID-19
Ciara Cannoy
Doctoral Student in Clinical Psychology, supervised by Dr. Leslie Lundahl and Dr. David Ledgerwood.
Projects:
1) Analysis of PATH tobacco data
2) Systematic review of the Pathways model of problem gambling
3) Examination of cannabis and tobacco smoking correlates of COVID-19
Doctoral Student in the Translational Neuroscience Program, co-supervised by Dr. Christine Rabinak and Dr. Mark Greenwald. She graduated in 2022, and is currently a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska.
Projects:
1) Survey of self-management strategies among opioid users
2) Associations of cannabinoid genetic variations with opioid use patterns
3) Neural signature of fear-avoidance behavior
Nareen Sadik
Nareen graduated from Wayne State University in 2019 with a degree in Nutrition and Food Science. Following graduation, she worked in the Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at WSU. She initially worked as a laboratory manager for a few years in a substance use pre-clinical laboratory, then transitioned into the role of DrugLab manager. Nareen started medicine school in August 2024.
Heidi Aguas
Heidi graduated in 2021 from Wayne State University with a degree in Neuroscience and University Honors with a minor in Public Health. Prior to working as a full time research assistant (since 2020), she assisted Tabitha Moses in her project exploring how rTMS can be used to improve treatment for people with opioid use disorder. She also has experience as a Certified Nurse Assistant and Medical Assistant working extensively with chronic pain and traumatic brain injuries. Heidi started medical school in August 2024 at Michigan State University.
Mahmoud Hossami
Mahmoud graduated in 2023 from the University of Windsor with a Masters in Translational Health Sciences and a Bachelors in Biological Sciences with Thesis. Prior to working as a full-time research assistant, he has research experience in immunology and cancer research. Mahmoud began a new position in August 2024 as research coordinator in the Henry Ford Health System.
Alanna Foulon
Alanna graduated in 2022 from the University of Windsor with her BA Honors in Psychology with Thesis. She is presently pursuing a Masters in Clinical Social Work at Michigan State University and hopes to work with populations experiencing substance use disorders, mood disorders and PTSD.
Klevis Karavidha
Research Assistant
Klevis is a former student in the WSU Translational Neuroscience Program. He earned his M.S. degree in the Biomedical Sciences program. Subsequently, Klevis provided excellent service as the DrugLab manager. In July 2022, Klevis began medical school at Michigan State University.
Publication:
Karavidha K, Burmeister M, Greenwald MK (2021) Beta-arrestin2 (ARRB2) polymorphism associated with the adverse consequences of chronic heroin use. The American Journal on Addictions 30: 351-357. DOI: 10.1111/ajad.13150
Former doctoral student in Clinical Psychology, supervised by Dr. Leslie Lundahl and Dr. David Ledgerwood. Currently an Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Projects:
1) Executive function among problem gamblers with and without depression
2) Gambling-related illegal behaviors and arrests
3) Assisting on a fMRI study of reward processing in problem gamblers
4) Meta-analysis of behavioral treatments for chronic illness
5) Changes in depression and anxiety during methadone maintenance treatment in pregnant women
6) Impact of post-delivery opioid prescription on relapse to opioid use in post-partum opioid dependent women
Recent doctoral student in Clinical Psychology, supervised by Dr. Leslie Lundahl and Dr. David Ledgerwood. Cara is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Dartmouth.
Projects:
1) Meta-analysis of behavioral treatments for chronic illness
2) Trauma exposure among pregnant women in methadone maintenance treatment
3) Marijuana use-related negative consequences
Marina Fodor
Doctoral Student in Clinical Psychology, supervised by Dr. Leslie Lundahl and Dr. David Ledgerwood
Project: Examine baseline sex differences among people living with HIV/AIDS who are seeking smoking cessation treatment
Reshma Dukkipati
Reshma graduated from Michigan State University in 2021 with her B.S. in Neuroscience through Lyman Briggs and Honors College.
Reshma volunteered in Neuroscience laboratory settings. She currently also works as an occupational health screener at Ascension Providence Park Hospital.
Anju Thomas
Research Assistant
Anju graduated in 2020 with her B.S. in Health Sciences and minor in Biological Sciences from Oakland University.
She has since served as a research assistant in home healthcare and public wellness settings.
Alina Woodford
Research Assistant