The Elm

The Center for Addiction Research, Education, and Service (CARES) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 Science to Systems Grant (SSG) awards. These awards support innovative, interdisciplinary projects that advance addiction research and promote the translation of evidence-based practices into real-world settings.

The CARES SSG program continues to support groundbreaking research that strengthens systems of care and improves outcomes for individuals affected by substance use disorders.

We anticipate announcing, in The Elm, the next round of SSG funding in October with a mid-December submission deadline. 

This year’s funded projects reflect a strong commitment to addressing opioid and polysubstance use disorders through clinical innovation, community partnerships, and systems-level change.

Congratulations to all award recipients for their impactful and innovative work.

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Breaking Barriers with IMPACTT: Reducing Stigma to Strengthen Tele-MOUD in Rural Jails

Principal Investigator:

Annabelle M. Belcher, PhD

Assistant Professor, Division of Addiction Research and Treatment

Department of Psychiatry

University of Maryland School of Medicine  

Co-Investigators:

Bethany DiPaula, PharmD

Natalie Spicyn, MD, MHS

This project focuses on reducing stigma and expanding access to telemedicine-based medication for opioid use disorder (Tele-MOUD) in rural jail settings.

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Intramuscular Ketamine for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder

Principal Investigator:

Peter Manza, PhD

Assistant Professor, Kahlert Institute for Addiction Medicine

Department of Psychiatry

University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM)

Co-Investigator:

Annabelle M. Belcher, PhD

Assistant Professor, Division of Addiction Research and Treatment

Department of Psychiatry, UMSOM

Study Physician:

Aaron D. Greenblatt, MD

Associate Professor, Division of Addiction Research and Treatment

Department of Psychiatry, UMSOM

This project explores the potential of intramuscular ketamine as a novel treatment approach for opioid use disorder.

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Recovery Housing Outcomes, Practices, and Evaluation

Principal Investigator:

Jay Unick, PhD

Professor, University of Maryland School of Social Work

Collaborating Units:

University of Maryland School of Social Work

University of Maryland School of Nursing

This collaborative project evaluates recovery housing models to identify best practices and improve long-term outcomes for individuals in recovery.

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Forward and Back-Translational Pipelines for Polysubstance Use Disorder

Principal Investigators:

Donna Calu (Gogerdchi), PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Neurobiology

University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM)

Sarah Kattakuzhy, MD, MPH

Associate Professor, Department of Medicine

Associate Director, Kahlert Institute for Addiction Medicine

UMSOM

This project aims to bridge laboratory and clinical research to better understand and treat polysubstance use disorder.

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Evaluating Feasibility and Barriers to an Integrated Group-Based and Peer Support Intervention to Prevent Relapse Among Postpartum Parenting Women with Opioid Use Disorder

Principal Investigator:

Doris Titus-Glover, PhD, MSN, RN

Assistant Professor

University of Maryland School of Nursing 

Universities at Shady Grove, Rockville, Md.

Co-Principal Investigator:

Courtney Townsel, MD, MSc

Assistant Professor

University of Maryland School of Medicine

This project examines innovative, supportive interventions aimed at preventing relapse among postpartum women with opioid use disorder.