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For C-DIAS Fellow Natasha Ludwig-Barron, PhD, research is deeply personal. A first-generation college student raised in Los Angeles by a single mother, Natasha’s path into epidemiology was shaped by her family’s history with addiction and her conviction that health is a matter of human rights. “At my core,” she said, “I’m a human rights activist.…

C-DIAS Fellow Will Garneau, MD, MPH, came to research through the front lines of clinical care. Originally trained as a hospitalist, Will found his path shifting during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he began observing unusual patient outcomes in the ICU. Encouraged by a colleague to write a case series, he discovered the power of research…

The 2025 C-DIAS Annual Meeting held in September was a tremendous success, bringing together fellows, faculty, and collaborators for two days of learning, reflection, and connection in Half Moon Bay, Calif. The event opened with a warm Fellows Welcome Lunch, followed by focused sessions introducing Cohort 3 to Implementation Science for Addiction Health Services and…

Rachel French, PhD, MSHP, RN, is an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, where she is focused on improving care and outcomes for people with substance use disorders. Her path to research was shaped by her early work as a nurse in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). “One patient became…