Alexander Bazazi

Alexander Bazazi, MD, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Assistant Director of the Research and Evaluation Unit at San Francisco General Hospital. He holds a joint appointment with the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences and focuses on policy-oriented research at the intersection of substance use, mental health, HIV, and the criminal justice system.

Dr. Bazazi completed his Psychiatry Residency at the University of California, San Francisco in 2022, received his M.D. from Yale University in 2018, and earned his Ph.D. in Epidemiology from Yale University in 2017.

His research focuses on substance use disorders, harm reduction strategies, HIV care, and the impact of carceral systems on health outcomes. Dr. Bazazi employs quantitative epidemiological methods to address health disparities among marginalized populations, with particular attention to policy interventions that can improve access to care. His work spans local San Francisco communities, national U.S. contexts, and international settings including Malaysia.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a consistent focus on the intersection of substance use (particularly opioids and fentanyl), HIV care, and criminal justice settings. His research demonstrates how medication-assisted treatment (particularly methadone and buprenorphine) can improve health outcomes for people with substance use disorders, especially those involved with the criminal justice system. Recent work has increasingly focused on the emerging fentanyl crisis and strategies for harm reduction in this context.

• UCSF Dept. of Psychiatry Public and Community Service Award (2022)

Dr. Bazazi mentors graduate and medical students on research in harm reduction and substance use disorder epidemiology and treatment, offering yearlong research fellowships. His current research portfolio includes multiple NIH-funded projects, including Somos Esenciales: Community Revitalization and Health through Latino Arts and Entrepreneurship (NIH Director's Office), Epidemiology and Prevention of Overdose from Unintentional Fentanyl Exposure (UCSF CTSI), and research on the impact of COVID-19 policies on care trajectories for individuals with behavioral health needs in jail settings.

His work is highly collaborative, involving partnerships with institutions in Malaysia and other international settings, with a particular focus on how criminal justice interventions can either support or undermine health outcomes for vulnerable populations.