Steven Shoptaw

University of California, Los Angeles

Steven Shoptaw PhD is a licensed psychologist and Director of the Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine. Dr. Shoptaw is Professor in Family Medicine and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Vice Chair for Research in Family Medicine. From these contexts, Dr. Shoptaw conducts a portfolio of research that focuses on the medical treatment of addiction and of HIV prevention in the context of addiction. The research Dr. Shoptaw conducts is translational, meaning he works with basic science researchers and with clinicians to study the ways that drugs of abuse, especially methamphetamine, affects biological processes relevant to HIV transmission.

Dr. Shoptaw energetically maintains research, clinical and policy efforts to bring novel and high impact solutions to delivering culturally competent care for persons affected by addictions and HIV. This often means developing innovative solutions that address consistent barriers to accessing structural and social determinants of health faced by people living with these interwoven health problems. These solutions have ranged from developing housing solutions for homeless persons living with HIV and concomitant substance use or mental health disorder (Safe House) to evaluating the impact of using a mobile medical unit to initiate and maintain medications for opioid use disorder for persons who inject opioids and are living with HIV in 5 U.S. cities (HPTN 094). Dr. Shoptaw is active within the Los Angeles County area in working with policymakers, scientists and agency leaders to develop and evaluate initiatives to optimize impacts of HIV prevention and addiction investments. 

Session

• SYNCing to End the Epidemics Through Science