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2026 COMMUNITY NETWORKING EVENT
THANK YOU to everyone who joined us for our fourth annual Pre-Symposium Community Networking Event at the Matheson History Museum on April 12th! It was an evening of connection, collaboration, and community-building. The event brought together a dynamic mix of individuals including UF CARE members and affiliates, research collaborators, members of our community Advisory Committee, community stakeholders, and our 2026 keynote speakers. We were honored to hear about community needs and programs from Dr. Anntwanique Edwards, Assistant Superintendent of Student Support Services for Alachua County Public Schools, Ms. Melissa Lewis, the community outreach coordinator for the City of Gainesville, Dr. Mike Dunn regarding challenges in academic/community programming, and Dr. Robert Cook who discussed state initiatives directed to study of the effects of medical marijuana. We also recognized new UF Affiliate Members by distributing really cool UF CARE totes! Thank you to the Social Committee and all of those who volunteered making this a great success!
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2026 Scientific Program
The excitement continued throughout the scientific program on April 13th. The event hosted the largest audience yet with 145 on-site attendees! The invited symposia included faculty and trainees from SIX Florida institutions (FAU, FIU, FSU, UCF, UF, USF). The poster session hosted 60 posters highlighting the work of emerging scholars from these institutions as well as the University of Chicago! Finally, our keynote speakers, Drs. Joe Cheer (Univ. of Maryland) and Hugh Garavan (University of Vermont), delivered amazing lectures that were both approachable and challenging. As sidenote, this year we hosted an “under the tent networking lunch” where trainees were challenged to “NAME THAT SCIENTIST”. Let’s just say some of the submissions were pretty… interesting!
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Jalie Tucker, PhD
Jalie A. Tucker, PhD, MPH, Professor Emerita in the Department of Health Education and Behavior and Center for Behavioral Economic Health Research, received the 2026 Research Impact Award at the Collaborative Perspectives on Addiction (CPA) conference, hosted by the Society of Addiction Psychology (Division 50) of the American Psychological Association. The Research Impact Award recognizes exceptional contributions to addiction science through innovative research. Dr. Tucker is a clinical psychologist and public health expert known for applied behavioral economic research on reducing harmful alcohol use and other health risk behaviors in real-world environments. She combines individual and public health perspectives, focusing on recovery and help-seeking among people with alcohol use disorder and situates these events within economic, community, and social contexts. Well deserved Dr. Tucker!
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Jay McLaughlin, PhD
Dr. Jay McLaughlin, PhD, Professor in the Department of Cellular Systems Pharmacology in the College of Pharmacy was awarded the Wybran Award at the 30th Society on Neuroimmune Pharmacology in Annapolis, MD; May 3-6, 2026. He was also elected to 3-year term as Early Career Investigator Travel Award (ECITA) Chair, at the 30th Society on NeuroImmune Pharmacology, Annapolis, MD; May 3-6, 2026.
Congratulations Dr. McLaughlin!!
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Linda Cottler, PhD
Linda B. Cottler, and 36 scientists, were named Inaugural Fellows of the Association for Clinical and Translational Science (FACTS) at the ACTS 2026 Meeting. She also won the Dept of Epidemiology PHHP Dean's Citation Award for work done with NDEWS by Nicole Fitzgerald when she was a doctoral student at UF. See Fitzgerald ND, Palamar JJ, Cottler LB. Prevalence and correlates of self-reported new psychoactive substance use among adults in 20 US cities: Results from National Drug Early Warning System surveillance. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2025 Aug 1;273:112711. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2025.112711.PMID: 40412068; PMCID: PMC12162188.
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Andrew Moore, PhD
We are ALWAYS pleased to receive updates from our prior affiliates.
Dr. Andrew Moore, Neuroscience Ph.D. is moving on from his postdoctoral studies at MUSC. Dr. Moore is returning to his home state having accepted a faculty position at the University of Oklahoma. We're looking forward to Dr. Morris' continued success.
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Christian Garcia, PhD
Having completed his postdoctoral training at the University of Cincinnati, Dr. Garcia will be remaining in the UC System as a faculty member in the Department of Psychology.
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Taylor Rohleen, B.S.
Taylor Rohleen was elected for membership as an affiliate member when she was a post-bac. Taylor is now a Ph.D. student in Clinical Psychology at the University of Central Florida.
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Jonah Neville, MS, CHES, CWHC
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While at UF, Jonah was a staff affiliate member. Jonah's continuing commitment to the field is reflected in his new role as Assistant Director of Substance Use & Recovery Support at Wake Forest University.
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Abigail Masterson, PhD
Abigail Masterson defended her dissertation and graduated with her PhD in March of 2026. The title of her dissertation is Examining the Risk Factors for and Sexual Consequences of Bisexual+ Women's Alcohol Use. Her Dissertation Chair was Dr. Liana Hone. Her mentoring committee, who are ALL UF CARE MEMBERS, consisted of Dr. Nichole Scaglione, Dr. Meredith Berry, Dr. Bob Cook, and Dr. Mildred Schreiner.
Congratulations to Dr. Masterson! We look forward to keeping up with her future successes!!
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Over the Spring 2026 semester, we welcomed multiple new affiliate members. Nagalakshmi Balasubramanian (mentor: Dr. Catherine Marcinkiewcz), Bhaskar Birru (mentor: Dr. Allison Andrews), Samuel Tetteh-Quarshie (mentor: Lori Knackstedt), Andres Calavia (mentor: Dr. Alfonso Martin-Pena), and Izabella Nieves (mentor: Dr. Alfonso Martin-Pena) were elected during our Executive Committee Meetings! CONGRATULATIONS and welcome to CARE!!
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Bleasdale, J., Westmoreland, D.A. Hone, L.S.E., Carrico, A., & Grov, C. (2025). Forced sexual encounters and HIV pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis use among men who have sex with men: A cross-sectional analysis. AIDS and Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-025-04974-7
Chen, S., Yang, B., Zhou, Z., Vargas, T., Wang, Y., Santaularia Gomez, N. J., Adam, E. K., Haase, C. M., & Qu, Y. (2026). Hippocampal Volume Moderates the Link Between Racial-Ethnic Discrimination and Early Adolescent Depression. Clinical Psychological Science, 0(0)
Madasu MK, Thang LV, Ohazurume CC, Chebrolu S, Houghten RA, Bandla S, Sheahan TD, Foshage AM, McLaughlin JP, McCall J, Al-Hasani R: Peripheral kappa opioid receptors modulate cold hypersensitivity in a mouse model of chemotherapy-induced neuropathy. Accepted by Pain, 5-7-2026; PAIN-D-25-01346R1 Masterson, A.P., (B)Wilhelm, C., Varma, D., Westmoreland, D., (D)Moran, J., (M)Chance, S., Leeman, R.F, & HONE, L.S.E. (2025). Remote alcohol administration: A qualitative study of barriers and facilitators to potential participation. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1037/pha0000810
Rodriguez M, Veeragoni D, Carbajal C, Owens F, Eans SO, Williams AK, Shinouchi R, McLaughlin JP, El-Hage N: The role of NLRP3 inflammasome in opioid-induced neurochemical markers, therapeutic effects, and adverse effects in male mice. Brain, Behavior and Immunity, 2026 Mar 3, 135:106528-106543; doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2026.106528. PMID:41785943.
Shinouchi R, Turgutalp B, Ople R, Eans SO, Williams AK, Hammond HR, Ople R, Varadi A, Notis Dardashti R, Majumdar S, McLaughlin JP: Characterization of novel sigma receptor ligands derived from multicomponent reactions as efficacious treatments for neuropathic pain. Pharmaceuticals (themed issue: “Current Advances in Therapeutic Potential of Sigma Receptor Ligands;” Dichiara and Amata, editors) 2026 Jan 8, 19(1): 117-139. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph19010117 PMID: 41599715.
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In Memoriam, Dr. JeeWon Cheong
The University of Florida College of Health & Human Performance, and colleagues nationwide, mourn the loss of JeeWon Cheong, Ph.D.Dr. Cheong was a renowned quantitative social psychologist and beloved faculty member, mentor and friend in the UF Department of Health Education & Behavior and was a highly respected figure in our field. Her work has been instrumental in demonstrating the significance of the intersection of individual factors and social determinants of health in defining risk and resiliency. Beyond her scientific expertise, her kind and generous spirit accompanied by great enthusiasm for collaboration will be sorely missed.
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Have News to Share?
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