IDEAS LAB
IDEAS Mission
Transforming Addiction Treatment through Research and Education
Our mission is to cultivate a dynamic, inclusive learning environment for NYU students and collaborators from beyond our campus. We equip undergraduate and graduate students with advanced research skills, including quantitative and qualitative methodologies, academic and grant writing, literature review, and data analysis and interpretation. Through this comprehensive training, we empower emerging scholars and professionals to drive meaningful, evidence-based impact in their fields.
Are you ready to make a difference in addiction research? The IDEAS Lab is a vibrant and committed community of students driving innovation and advancing knowledge in addiction treatment. We are looking for exceptional, motivated individuals to join our team and contribute to groundbreaking research.
If you’re passionate about addressing gaps in addiction care and want to develop skills that set you apart, apply now to be part of our dynamic lab. We welcome both undergraduate and graduate students from NYU and other universities. Remote and hybrid internship opportunities are available! Apply Here
Be a part of a team where your ideas and talents matter. We’re committed to supporting your growth and empowering you to make an impact!
If you have any questions about the application process, please contact us at Elshahawylab@nyulangone.org.
You will have the opportunity to:
- Enhance core research skills through scientific literature reviews, grant writing, research study design, and writing IRB applications
- Develop skills related to data collection and analysis
- Develop skills related to smoking intervention development and execution
- Gain invaluable hands-on research experience before graduate or medical school
- Contribute, co-author, and publish manuscripts
- Earn strong letters of recommendation
Projects
E-cigarettes for Smoking Harm Reduction among People Living with HIV/AIDs
A 6-month long study following smokers living with HIV/AIDs to evaluate e-cigarettes as a harm reduction strategy for smoking cessation; enrollment has been finalized and data analysis is currently ongoing.
HEROS: Harm Reduction in Opioid Use Disorders Smokers Study
This NIH-funded trial evaluates e-cigarettes versus traditional nicotine replacement therapy for tobacco harm reduction among adults in opioid treatment programs who smoke combustible cigarettes. Participants receive telehealth motivational counseling, while daily SMS-based ecological momentary assessments (EMA) track their real-time smoking behaviors and cravings.
CARE Study: Cessation and Assisted Reduction through E-Cigarettes in smokers with serious mental illness
Pilot RCT focusing on measuring feasibility and acceptability; we use an array of study methods such as administration of the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview, surveys, as well as providing support using interactive texting and telehealth counseling.
Data Analyses using Existing National Surveys
We apply big data analytics and advanced epidemiological modeling to large-scale national datasets, including NYTS, PATH, NSDUH, NHANES, BRFSS, and ABCD. These population-level cohorts allow us to investigate complex behavioral trends and advance digital evaluation and addiction science.
Developing and Pilot-Testing an EHR-Integrated AI-powered Clinical Decision Support Tool for Sleep Health Screening in Heart Failure
By linking patient and EHR data, this project aims to identify underreognized sleep abnormalities among patients with heart failure. It specifically aims to flag high-risk conditions such as insomnia and sleep apnea. Automated alerts then guide cardiologists to quickly connect patients with the right sleep care.
Optimizing the Patient Generated Vitals & Health Data Dashboard in the Veterans Health Administration
Using Human-centered evaluation principles, this dashboard will be refined (additional information/features) and optimized (revisit display/ embedded decision support flags) to minimize patient care burden (i.e., provider time and cognitive burden).
An evaluation of home urinalysis testing for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients at elevated risk for developing lupus nephritis
A large-scale randomized controlled trial evaluating at-home urine testing for individuals with lupus nephritis to determine whether remote monitoring improves early detection of disease activity and supports timely clinical intervention.
Lab Members
Omar El Shahawy MD, MPH, PhD
Principle investigator, Founder
omar.elshahawy@nyulangone.org
Omar El Shahawy MD, MPH, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health, Section on Tobacco, Alcohol and Drug Use at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and an affiliated faculty at the Division of Global Health, NYU School of Global Public Health. Dr. El Shahawy co-founded the lab in January 2021. Dr. El Shahawy research extensively on developing high impact multi-modal interventions targeting smoking cessation and harm reduction in nicotine addiction. His current research interests include tobacco treatment, addressing gaps among key underserved populations, telehealth and digital health interventions, and patient-physician decision making.
Elizabeth Stevens, PhD, MPH
Co-investigator
elizabeth.stevens@nyulangone.org
Liz Stevens in an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health at NYU Langone Health and a Health Science Specialist with the VA NY Harbor Healthcare System. Her research aims to improve tobacco-related health outcomes in hard-to-treat populations. In particular, her research focuses on the role of e-cigarettes in smoking and symptom reduction in patients with COPD as well as intervention cost-effectiveness. Additionally, she studies the role of collaborative research behaviors in the enhancement of implementation research quality and productivity.
Mohsen Abbasikangevari, MD, MPH
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
mohsen.abbasikangevari@nyulangone.org
Mohsen, MD-MPH, is a postdoctoral fellow currently working on an R01 clinical trial focused on cigarette smoking harm reduction among patients with opioid use disorders. He is involved in drafting papers, grant proposals, and designing advanced REDCap projects. His work mainly spans non-communicable diseases, particularly risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. He is developing an interest in studying sleep as a modifiable risk factor for poor health outcomes. Prior to joining the lab, he co-founded a health monitoring startup with over 100,000 users with diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, and is passionate about closing the gap between evidence and practice, particularly through digital health.
Izamar Gallardo-Castillo, BS
Research Data Associate
izamar.gallardocastillo@nyulangone.org
Izamar is a Research Data Associate in the Department of Population Health’s Section on Tobacco, Alcohol, and Drug Use who leads the Persons with Serious Mental Illness pilot and is involved in various other aspects of several smoking harm reduction studies conducted through IDEAS lab. Izamar is also interested in studying psychology, poetry, gardening, and volunteering in various mutual aid networks working to alleviate the impact of food insecurity in several communities.
Asa Wint, BS
Research Data Associate
Asa is a Research Data Associate in the Department of Population Health’s Section on Tobacco, Alcohol, and Drug Use. He supports smoking-related studies focused on harm reduction conducted through the IDEAS lab and also contributes to research involving patients diagnosed with LUPUS. Asa earned his B.S. in Psychology from Trinity College (CT). He is particularly interested in harm reduction, and addiction medicine. In his free time, Asa enjoys running, spending time with friends, and exploring the city.
Ishrat Zarrin, BS
Research Data Associate
Ishrat is a Research Data Associate in the Department of Population Health’s Section on Tobacco, Alcohol, and Drug Use. She helps support a smoking harm reduction study conducted through the IDEAS Lab. Ishrat earned her B.S. in Global Public Health and Chemistry from NYU. She is interested in harm reduction, the impact of socioeconomic factors on health care access, and targeted cancer therapy. She enjoys reading, trying out new cafes, and taking walks around the city!
Michelle He, BS, MS
Data Analyst
Michelle is a data analyst in the Department of Population Health. She assists with programming and statistical analysis to address the effects of harm reduction with e-cigarettes among key underserved populations. Michelle received her M.S. in biostatistics from NYU, School of Global Public Health. In her free time, she enjoys trying new recipes and visiting museums.
Sanobar Jaka, MD, MPH
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
Sanobar is an MD who recently received her MPH in Health Management and Policy from NYU School of Global Public Health. She currently works in a clinical role at Bronx Care Health System. Her research interests are in Behavioral Health disorders including substance abuse, and exploring health care delivery and access models in mental health.
Addy Van
Research Intern
adelyn.van@nyulangone.org
Adelyn (Addy) Van is a third-year undergraduate at Cornell University’s College of Human Ecology studying Global and Public Health Sciences with a minor in Health Care Policy on the pre-medical track. She is interested in improving health gaps, individualized healthcare, and women’s and children’s health. In her free time, she enjoys going on runs, snowboarding, and trying new restaurants.
Francesco Berrett
Research Intern
francesco.berrett@nyulangone.org
Francesco is a first-year NYU master's student in the department of Epidemiology. He assists with smoking-related studies and harm reduction in underserved communities. He is interested in host-pathogen interaction, infectious disease transmission, and addiction science. He received his B.S. in Public Health Science from the University of Maryland, with minors in Spanish and Piano Performance. In his free time, Francesco can be found writing music and working through the growing pile of books on his nightstand.
Jackie Kim
Research Intern
jacqueline.kim@nyulangone.org
Jackie is a senior at Cornell University majoring in Biological Sciences and Philosophy. She assists on lab projects relating to polysubstance use and addiction in populations with serious mental illness. She is interested in neural mechanisms of memory, addiction in key underserved populations, as well as interactions between culture and mental health. Her hobbies include oil painting, swimming, and ethical hamster care.
Jeremy Kauffman
Research Intern
jeremy.kauffman@nyulangone.org
Jeremy is a first year masters student at NYU school of Global Public Health in the Community Health Science and Practice concentration. He assists on projects related to addiction and mental health in the IDEAS Lab. He received his B.A. in Molecular Biology from Kenyon College. He is interested in addressing access inequities to mental health care and preventative medicine. He is also a passionate musician and plays gigs around the city with his band, Fool’s Mate.
Melanie Polanco
Research Intern
melanie.polanco@nyulangone.org
Melanie Polanco is a junior at NYU studying Global Public Health and Sociology on the pre-health track interested in harm reduction, mental health awareness, and understanding patients' perspectives in clinical care. She enjoys reading and nature walks.
Michael Lin
Research Intern
Michael is a Sophomore at NYU studying Biochemistry on the pre-med track. He assists on lab projects related to substance use and addiction, with an interest in the biological and environmental factors that shape health outcomes. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with friends, playing sports, and exploring around the city.
Noor Ramzy
Research Intern
Noor is a junior at NYU studying Economics, with a minor in Computer Science/Mathematics on the pre-health track. She is interested in understanding how social, economic, and structural determinants contribute to health gaps and influence outcomes. In her free time, she enjoys running and is learning to play guitar.
Alumni
Adriana Bayron
Adriana worked at IDEAS Lab for several years from her sophomore year of undergrad to her second gap year. Adriana is currently working toward completing her MD at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine where she hopes to become a neurologist. In her free time, she loves baking, traveling, and cycling as well as exploring coffee shops all around NYC.
"I can be changed by what happens to me, but I refused to be reduced by it" - Maya Angelou
Brian Kang
Brian is a recent graduate from New York University with a Bachelors in Psychology. He is currently working as a clinical research coordinator at the Mood and Personality Disorders Program at Mount Sinai. His research interests are focused on incorporating emotion regulation strategies to improve substance craving control and reduce risk of relapse.
Caroline Romano
Caroline graduated with a Master's degree in Global Health from NYU, and is now a Care Coordinator at Mount Sinai.
Christian Romero
Christian is a senior at NYU studying Global Public Health and Sociology, with a minor in Public Policy. He is interested in healthcare policy and how social determinants influence health outcomes. In his free time he enjoys cooking and hanging out with friends.
Diego Quintana Licona
Diego is a Clinical Research Coordinator at Mount Sinai, and an MPH Candidate at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. He is involved in social entrepreneurship, Sexual and Reproductive Education, and tackling health disparities.
Fan Bi
Fan has a M.S. in Biostatistics from NYU GPH, and is currently a Statistician and Research Associate in Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
Jason El Azzi
Jason received his MPH from NYU GPH in Epidemiology and mainly conducts research on post-traumatic growth. His other research interests are harm reduction, substance abuse prevention, and psychiatric epidemiology. In his free time, he enjoys motor-racing.
Jenny Yu
Jenny is pursuing a Master's degree in Mental Health Counseling at NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. In her free time, she volunteers as an emotional care provider.
John V. Crupi
Following his time with the IDEAS Lab, John spent a year as a physical therapy assistant, deepening his understanding of hands-on patient care and rehabilitation. John has recently transitioned to a new role as a private tutor for entrance examinations and will begin pursuing an MD at New York Medical College in the summer of 2025.
“It’s not about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” – Rocky Balboa
Justin McClendon
Justin McClendon, MPH, MS is a PhD candidate in Epidemiological Science at the University of Michigan, where his research focuses on infectious diseases, particularly respiratory viruses and viral interference. He brings nearly a decade of experience in research administration, supporting the development, writing, submission, and management of complex federally funded projects across academic and clinical settings.
Mariana Braga
Mariana graduated from NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study in 2023 with a BA in Biosocial Health and Psychology. She is currently working at HiBRID Lab and pursuing her MPH at NYU School of Global Public Health. She is passionate about improving healthcare delivery and is particularly interested in operational initiatives that help improve both patient and provider outcomes. In her free time, she loves to play the guitar and read.
Marisa Gerard
After earning an MPH in Epidemiology from NYU GPH, Marisa joined the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Bureau of Communicable Disease, where she contributed to the Mpox emergency response. She later served as a city research scientist in the enteric disease group before taking on her current role as a research analyst in health policy assessment at Mathematica.
Meghan Durr
Meghan received her MPH from the NYU School of Global Public Health in 2019 and spent nearly two years working with the IDEAS Lab. She now serves as a Program Officer at the CDC Foundation, supporting the management and implementation of the Overdose Response Strategy (ORS) program. The mission of the ORS is to help communities reduce fatal and non-fatal drug overdoses by connecting public health and public safety agencies, sharing information and pertinent intelligence, and supporting innovative and evidence-based strategies.
Mirkelis De Jesus
Mirkelis is a current medical student pursuing her MD at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Mohamed Doucure
Mohamed was a member of the IDEAS Lab from 2021 to 2024, where he worked in clinical recruitment and counseling, manuscript writing, as well as conducting a systematic review on the feasibility of telehealth in medical practice. Currently, he is pursuing his medical degree at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine with an interest in pursuing orthopedics and global health. Previously, Mohamed worked in Regulatory Affairs at Pfizer and as a medical technician at CityMD.
Nada Hamade
Nada graduated with a Master in Public Health from NYU. She is currently pursuing her medical degree at the American University in Beirut.
Nika Horlacher
Nika is a Hunter College graduate with a Bachelors in Psychology and she currently works as a research assistant at a consulting and research company. She contributes to applied research and evaluation projects contracted by government and nonprofit clients in health and human services. She is also interested in research compliance, and serves as the IRB administrator.
Quiann King
Since graduating from NYU, Quiann has continued her work as a medical assistant and tutor for one year. Following this, Quiann has been pursuing her medical degree at the Penn State College of Medicine.
Tanmik Shah
Tanmik is a Data Analyst at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. He received his MPH in Biostatistics from NYU. He is interested in identifying tobacco-related behaviors and health outcomes and evaluating the effects of smoking and alternative tobacco products use on various health outcomes.
Yawen Yuan
Yawen has a M.S. in Biostatistics from NYU GPH and is currently a Biostatistician in Medicine, Clinical Cardiovascular Research Center, at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
We welcome interested undergraduate and graduate students to apply! Apply Now
If you have any questions when filling out the application, please contact us at Elshahawylab@nyulangone.org.