Dr. Karen Alexander Receives Promotion to Research Scientist

FRI is pleased to announce that Dr. Karen Alexander has been promoted from an Assistant Research Scientist to a Research Scientist, effective September 1, 2023. Dr. Alexander joined FRI in August of 2021. Since that time, she has contributed to a number of studies conducted at FRI, while pursuing her own research. She currently serves as the site PI for a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Clinical Trials Network study, which seeks to prevent opioid use disorder among at-risk patients in primary care. She also serves as Co-I on a study from the Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts that is focused on creating and disseminating educational content for healthcare providers related to reducing stigma and improving treatment engagement and recovery for birthing people who use drugs. In addition, she serves as a Co-I on a NIDA-funded UG3 award designed to enhance and finalize the development of a mobile app for individuals on community supervision (probation/parole) with substance use disorder who are enrolled in outpatient treatment. Dr. Alexander has also served as an MPI on a National Institute on Aging (NIA) Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) study, which developed a prototype mobile app for African American caregivers designed to reduce caregiver stress, depression, and anxiety. Recently, as an MPI, she received a Phase II SBIR award from NIA to enhance and finalize Phase I app development and evaluate its effectiveness in a randomized controlled trial.

FRI would like to congratulate Dr. Alexander on this notable achievement and wishes her a productive career with FRI.