The University of Cincinnati and UC Health have launched a new multidisciplinary addiction center to integrate research, clinical expertise, and education to improve prevention and treatment outcomes in the region.
Center Launch and Investment
The UC/UC Health Addiction Center (UCAC) was established through a collaborative commitment by UC College of Medicine and UC Health, which will invest approximately $2 million over the next five years. The center builds on the success of the existing Center for Addiction Research, leveraging collaborative efforts from over 30 faculty members across five colleges and 12 departments. According to T. John Winhusen, PhD, director of UCAC and a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, “Addiction is a chronic medical condition that demands coordinated scientific, clinical, and educational responses.”
Structure and Integration
Rather than being confined to a single physical location, UCAC encompasses addiction specialty outpatient, intensive outpatient, and select research programs distributed across UC Health and the university. The center coordinates activities across five UC colleges: Medicine, Allied Health Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Pharmacy, and Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services. Winhusen emphasized the importance of moving away from historic marginalization of people with addiction by integrating addiction treatment into broader medical and mental health care systems.
Key Initiatives
The center will support research innovation through dedicated pilot funding for junior and mid-career investigators to generate competitive external grant proposals, with emphasis on NIH funding and peer-reviewed publications. Clinical services will expand through targeted efforts to increase patient access and retention, including evidence-based interventions such as contingency management. Education initiatives include revitalization of addiction medicine and psychiatry fellowships and ongoing educational events, including an annual summer speaker series and regular journal clubs.
College of Medicine Leadership
Gregory C. Postel, MD, dean of the UC College of Medicine, noted that the center “reflects a pivotal institutional commitment” to addressing “one of the most urgent public health challenges of our time,” advancing “a comprehensive approach to addiction care” that integrates research, clinical practice, and interdisciplinary education.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2025/11/new-uc-uc-health-addiction-center-to-advance-addiction-research-treatment-and-education.html