Dace Svikis

Dr. Dace Svikis is a Professor in the Departments of Psychology, Psychiatry, and Obstetrics/Gynecology at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). She serves as Deputy Director of the VCU Institute for Women's Health and Director of the AWHARE Program (Addiction and Women's Health: Advancing Research and Evaluation). Her work focuses on identifying and treating perinatal addiction, improving healthcare access for marginalized populations, and translating research into clinical practice. She has over 100 publications and led NIH-funded studies on HIV/STD prevention in pregnant substance users, prenatal care compliance, and computer-directed interventions for addiction.

• Education: Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 1989
• Leadership Roles: Academy of Mentors at VCU, Board of Directors for the College on Problems of Drug Dependence
• Affiliations: Director of AWHARE Program, VCU School of Medicine faculty

Her research emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration across psychology, public health, medicine, and nursing. Current projects include interventions for opioid use disorder during pregnancy, patient navigation systems to improve prenatal care, and studies on cannabis use during pregnancy. She co-authored a landmark 2017 study demonstrating pregnancy's protective effect against drug abuse, challenging biological determinism in addiction research.

Dr. Svikis' work bridges clinical and translational research, with a focus on women's health equity and innovative digital health solutions. She remains active on NIH study sections and editorial boards, advocating for transdisciplinary approaches to healthcare challenges.