HIV/AIDS Research Program

The UCSF Department of Psychiatry at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center is a leader in HIV, addiction, mental health services and intervention research. Researchers are known nationally and internationally for their work. In HIV research, one of only six "Effective Behavioral Interventions" designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention targeting men who have sex with men (MSM) was developed here. HIV-related studies conducted in the department have ranged from behavioral intervention studies focused on changing high-risk sexual behavior among HIV in gay and bisexual men; working with IV drug users and those co-infected with HIV and Hepatitis C; the seriously mentally ill with HIV, and racial and ethnic minorities, to studies of the interaction of drugs frequently used in the treatment of HIV/AIDS including antiretroviral and tuberculosis medications and medications used in treatment of opioid dependence (methadone and buprenorphine), as well as studies of the effects of opioids in relation to oral manifestations of HIV disease.

We also emphasize training of physicians and allied professionals in treatment of substance use disorders and multiply diagnosed patients (HIV, substance abuse and mental health disorders) and have grants from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to conduct research aimed at how best to train primary care providers on screening, brief interventions, referral and treatment for substance use disorders. We also have a SAMHSA grant supporting a case management project aimed at reducing substance use and improving housing among HIV-infected African American and Latinos living with HIV and substance use disorders.

Principal investigators

Funding sources