Research Highlights IMPOWR Research Center at Montefiore Einstein (IMPOWR-ME) is a multidisciplinary research program to address the lack of access to integrated treatment platforms for individuals living with chronic pain and OUD. It is supported by the NIH HEAL Initiative through the Integrative Management of Chronic Pain and Opioid Use Disorder for Whole Recovery (IMPOWR) network. IMPOWR-ME is conducting three pragmatic trials in different settings, to test different approaches to address chronic pain and opioid use disorder: B-STRONG (Back Strengthening Onsite for General Wellness) is a three-arm randomized controlled trial of onsite yoga, onsite physical therapy, and usual care at opioid treatment programs. VOICE (Virtual Opioid Use Disorder Integrated Chronic Pain Treatment Program) is a 2X2 factorial trial of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and a care management smartphone app in primary care based buprenorphine treatment. BISHOP (Buprenorphine Initiation Strategies in Hospitals to Optimize Pain) is a two-arm trial to test microdosing versus standard induction of buprenorphine in hospitalized patients. IMPOWR-ME partners with people with lived experience with opioid use disorder and/or chronic pain and other partners to optimize acceptability and dissemination. The MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study (MWCCS) is a collaborative research effort that aims to understand and reduce the impact of chronic health conditions—including heart, lung, blood, and sleep disorders—that affect people living with HIV. This longitudinal cohort study is designed to investigate a spectrum of questions relating to the basic science, clinical science, and epidemiology of HIV infection in the U.S., with a focus on comorbidities among men and women living with HIV. The current MWCCS was formed from the merger of two long-standing cohorts, the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) and the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS). The MWCCS has 13 clinical research sites across the country, including the Bronx site, which is part of Montefiore Einstein and has its own free-standing clinic on White Plains Road. The MWCCS is led by Dr. Anjali Sharma, Dr. Kathy Anastos, and Dr. David Hanna.
