Roles:
- Associate Professor of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine
- Director, Infectious Disease Outpatient Clinic, Veterans Administration Healthcare Services, Newington
Contact:
Biography:
Sandra Springer, MD is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases at the Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Springer is Board-Certified in Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Addiction Medicine. In addition, she is the Director of the Infectious Disease Clinic at the Newington site of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System where she oversees the care of Veterans living with HIV (VLH). She graduated from Harvard University, then later received her Medical Degree from University of Massachusetts Medical School. She did her Internal Medicine Residency and Infectious Disease Fellowship at Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Springer has significant clinical and research experience with persons living with HIV disease (PLH) and those with comorbid substance use disorders (SUD). Her research has specifically been involved with Medication treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) (MOUD) and medication treatment for alcohol use disorders (AUD) to improve substance use relapse outcomes and HIV treatment outcomes. She has a K02 Independent Scientist Award from NIDA developing MAT interventions among PLH with comorbid SUDs. Dr. Springer has evaluated the use of buprenorphine to prevent relapse to opioid use and improve HIV viral suppression PLH released from prison. She created and later validated a rapid opioid dependency screen (RODS) that quickly identifies if someone has a moderate to severe opioid use disorder (OUD) to quickly initiate MOUD. She has studied extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) as a PI on a 5 year NIAAA-funded R01 which used a RCT design to evaluate its effect on improving HIV viral suppression for PLH released from prison; and she was a PI on a NIDA-funded R01 within the Seek Test Treat and Retain (STTR) Criminal Justice System (CJS) consortium to evaluate the use of XR-NTX to improve HIV VS among PLH with OUD released from prison/jail. Dr. Springer was a working group member of the NIDA STTR consortium that harmonized outcomes across 23 NIDA-funded STTR studies involving PLH and those who are at risk for HIV. Additionally, she was co-I on 2 NIDA R01s (1) using Buprenorphine to improve HIV treatment outcomes among PLH with OUD in Washington, D.C.; and (2) implementing XR-NTX among PLH with OUD in Ukraine. She is co-PI on a 5-year R01 from NIDA evaluating the impact of HIV infection on immunologic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic signatures among PLH compared to those without HIV infection who are beginning MAT for OUD. She is a co-PI with Drs. Ho and Kluger at Yale for a NIDA funded R33/R61 that is specifically evaluating the impact of all forms of MAT on HIV persistence; and she is a co-I on a HEALing NIDA funded grant to combat Opioid addiction in NY State. She is also a multiple PI of a new U01 from NCATS that will integrate ID and injectable buprenorphine in hospitalized patients. She also is a co-PI on a new Justice involved HEALing grant at the NYU site with Dr. Josh Lee from NIDA evaluating OUD medication treatment for criminal justice involved persons with OUD and co-PI with Dr. Ismene Petrakis for a VA COOP grant among 900 Veterans with OUD comparing injectable and sublingual buprenorphine. She is a member of IDSA and HIVMA’s expert panel to integrate ID and OUD and a newly appointed NASEM committee member evaluating the integration of ID and OUD treatment and prevention in community settings.
CIRA Affiliated Projects:
Selected Publications:
Rich, J.D., Wohl, D.A, Beckwith, C.G., Spaulding, A., Lepp, N.E., Baillargeon, J., Gardner, A., Avery, A,, Altice, F.L., Springer, S.A. “HIV-related research in correctional populations: Now is the time.” Current HIV/AIDS Reports (2011), Dec; 8 (4):288-296.
Springer, S.A., Azar, M.M., Altice, F.L. “HIV and alcohol dependence: A Call for evidence-based treatments for released prisoners.” American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse (2010), December 21; 37(1); 12-21. [PMC3070290]
Meyer, J., Springer, S.A., Altice, F.L. “Substance abuse, violence, and HIV in women: A literature review of the syndemic.” Journal of Women’s Health (2011), May 2011; 20(7). [PMID:21668380]
Chen, N.E., Meyer, J.P., Springer, S.A. “Advances in the prevention of heterosexual transmission of HIV/AIDS among women in the United States.” Infectious Disease Reports (2011), 3:e6; 20-29.
Meyer, J.P., Chen, N.E., Springer, S.A. “HIV Treatment in the criminal justice system: Critical knowledge and intervention gaps.” AIDS Research and Treatment (2011) 680617. Epub 2011 Jul 12.
Chen NE, Meyer JP, Avery Ak, Draine J, Ph, Flanigan TP, Lincoln T, Spaulding AC, Springer SA, Altice FL. Adherence to HIV treatment and care among previously homeless jail detainees. AIDS and Behavior, 2011; Nov 8 (Epub ahead of print).(PMID: 22065234)
Springer SA, Spaulding AC, Meyer JP, Altice FL. Public Health Implications for Adequate Transitional Care for HIV-Infected Prisoners: Five Essential Components. Clinical Infectious Disease, 2011 53(5):469-479.
Springer SA. High rates of depressive Symptomatology among injecting drug users in Saskatoon, Canada. Evidence Based Mental Health. 2011 Nov 1. (Epub ahead of print).
