Center for Addiction Medicine

Past Fellows Talk

At the Center for Addiction Medicine, post-doctoral fellows work on a range of independent, patient-oriented clinical or translational addiction research projects with dedicated mentors. Fellows work with senior faculty to drive the innovative work of the Center, and their intellectual contributions are critical. This kind of environment has helped former fellows develop into recognized professional members of the field, with many of them going on to produce influential scholarly work, to obtain prestigious grant funding, and to accept academic positions within Harvard or elsewhere after they complete the fellowship.

Some former fellows reflect on their experience:


Johanna Burke, MDJohanna_Burke

CAM Research Fellowship: 2008-2010
Current Position: Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester-Psychiatry Department; Attending Psychiatrist, UMASS Ambulatory Psychiatry Clinic

The Addiction Research Fellowship at the Center for Addiction Medicine gave me the opportunity to work closely with Dr. Eden Evins as well as many other renowned scientists such as John Kelly. During my two years as a research fellow at the Center for Addiction Medicine, I learned and participated in every stage of the research process, including grant writing, IRB coordination, study design, data collection, data management, supervision of regulatory matters at different clinical sites, and treatment delivery, and was also able to co-author papers.

I worked on multisite clinical trials in smoking cessation to test new pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies in people with mental illness and otherwise healthy smokers. In addition, being at CAM gave me the opportunity to attend the weekly Psychiatry Department Grand Rounds and CAM Grand Rounds, where I interacted with nationally and internationally recognized researchers. As an International M.D., this fellowship helped me obtain a position in residency training in Psychiatry.


Tsafrir_LoeblTsafrir Loebl, MD

INVEST-CAM Clinical Fellow: 2005-2007
CAM Research Physician: 2007-2009.
Current Position: Chief, Partial Hospitalization Unit, Jerusalem Mental Health Center, Kfar Shaul Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel

With the help of the Center for Addiction Medicine and the MGH Addiction Psychiatry program, I was able to get a NIDA INVEST fellowship. After my fellowship, I stayed at CAM for a few more years working as a study physician. I gained experience in all aspects of clinical research and addiction, as well as meeting some great people and having fun. After returning to Israel, I coordinated the inpatient dual diagnosis program of the Jerusalem Mental Health Center, where I am currently chief of the partial hospitalization unit at Kfar-Shaul Psychiatric Hospital.


Gustavo_AngaritaGustavo Angarita, MD

CAM Research Fellow
Current Position: Assistant Inpatient Chief of the Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit (CNRU) of the Connecticut Mental Heath Center (CMHC)/Yale University School of Medicine

I completed two years of combined clinical and research training with my Partners Healthcare Addictions Psychiatry Fellowship. The research component was based at the MGH Center for Addiction Medicine.

As a fellow, I worked on multisite clinical trials, imaging studies on medication development, and industry-sponsored studies. This broad exposure gave me the opportunity to learn the intricacies of clinical research. The experience was paired with staff and manuscript meetings and CAM Grand Rounds, complementing my academic development as I acquired and improved my statistical and writing skills, and my knowledge about research methods and the biology of substance use disorders.

The fellowship helped me obtain a position in the Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit of the Connecticut Mental Health Center/Yale University School of Medicine, where I am an instructor. My research has led to NIH grant applications, scholar awards, and manuscripts contributing to our understanding of and the treatment of cocaine use disorder.