People

Lesia M. Ruglass, Ph.D., is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and an Adjunct Associate Research Professor at the Center of Alcohol and Substance Use Studies at Rutgers University. Her research interests center on several areas: 1) testing the efficacy and effectiveness of combined and integrated treatments for co-occurring trauma/PTSD, and substance use disorders; 2) understanding the biopsychosocial mechanisms underlying SUDs (particularly cannabis use and tobacco use disorders); and 3) understanding and reducing racial/ethnic disparities in mental health, SUDs, and treatment outcomes. Dr. Ruglass is currently Multiple PI on a NIDA funded R25 training grant for translational addiction research for racial/ethnic minority BS/MD, MA and PhD students in the biomedical and social sciences (TRACC-RU) and co-I on a large-scale secondary data analytic trial of PTSD and A/SUD clinical trials called Project Harmony. She also completed two pilot studies examining racial/ethnic differences in attentional bias and cue reactivity among cannabis and tobacco users and was co-investigator on several clinical trials that examined the efficacy/effectiveness of combined and integrated treatments for co-occurring PTSD and substance use disorders (SUD). Dr. Ruglass has received awards and grants from the National Institutes on Health and the City College City SEEDS program. She has published multiple peer-reviewed articles and presented her work nationally and internationally. She is co-author of the book, Psychology of Trauma 101 (with Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, Springer Publishing) and co-editor of the book, Women’s Mental Health Across the Lifespan: Challenges, Vulnerabilities, and Strengths (with Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, Routledge Publishing). Dr. Ruglass was recently elected as Member-at-Large (Public Interest) for the Society of Addiction Psychology, APA, Division 50.

• Understanding racial differences in attentional bias and cue reactivity among Black and White cigarette smokers (PI)
• Neural and behavioral correlates of attentional bias to cannabis cues among adults with cannabis use disorders (PI)
• Advancing Clinical Trials for PTSD and A/SUDs Using the Virtual Multisite Clinical Trial (Co-I)
• TRACC-RU Program (Translational Research Training in Addictions for Racial/Ethnic Minorities at the City College of New York, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and Rutgers University [MPI])

NIH/NIAAA (2018 – 2022), Advancing Clinical Trials for PTSD and A/SUDs Using the Virtual Multisite Clinical Trial; Role: Co-Investigator (MPIs: Hien & Morgan-Lopez) ($1.5 million)

• NIAAA/R13 Symposium (APA Convention), Travel Award, 2014
• National Institutes of Health (NIH), Loan Repayment Program, Initial Contract and 2 Competitive Renewal Awards, 2008-2014
• NIAAA/NIDA, Early Career Investigator Poster Session Travel Award (APA Convention), 2009
• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Director’s Travel Award (CPDD Convention), 2008

Research Interests: Assessment and Integrated Treatment of Trauma/PTSD and Substance Use Disorders (SUDs); Understanding Mechanisms of Substance Use Disorders; Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Mental Health and SUDs; HIV/AIDS prevention in Racial/Ethnic Minority Communities