Scientific Advisory Group Network

Our Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) is composed of scientists from across the US and experts from relevant government agencies, including the DEA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to advise NDEWS leadership regarding relevant indicators, data harmonization, and interpretation.

NDEWS SAG Members

Epidemiology/Surveillance/Bioinformatics/Clinical
Georgiy Bobashev, PhDRTI Senior Fellow, Center for Data Science, RTI International
Dan Ciccarone, MD, MPH Professor, Family Community Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco
Matthew Ellis, PhD, MPH – Chair PI RADARS System, Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Mark Gold, MD, DFASAM, DLFAPARetired, Professor, University of Florida College of Medicine, 17th UF Distinguished Alumni Awardee
Jim Hall, BSCenter for Applied Research on Substance Use & Health Disparities, Nova Southeastern University
Jennifer R. Havens, PhD, MPHProfessor, Department of Behavioral Science, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky
Christopher R. McCurdy, Ph.D., F.A.A.P.S.Associate Dean for Faculty Development, Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, The Frank A. Duckworth Eminent Scholar Chair, Director, UF Translational Drug Development Core, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy at University of Florida
Forensic/Toxicology
Alex J. Krotulski, PhDDirector, Center for Forensic Science Research & Education
Barry K. Logan, PhD, F-ABFTChief Scientist, NMS Labs
Federal Agencies
Jana McAninch, MD, MPH, MSOffice of Surveillance & Epidemiology, Center for Drug Evaluation & Research, FDA
Julie O'Donnell, PhD, MPHDivision of Overdose Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention & Control, CDC
Agnes Winokur, PhDLaboratory Director, DEA Special Testing & Research Laboratory
Farida Bhuiya Ahmad, MPHMortality Surveillance Lead, Division of Vital Statistics, National Center for Health Statistics, CDC

Last modified: 05/18/2026

NDEWS is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse to the University of Florida (MPI: Cottler (contact), Co-Is: Goldberger, Nixon, Striley), NYU Langone Health (MPI: Palamar), and Florida Atlantic University (Co-I: Barenholtz).