John J. Curtin

John J. Curtin is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he directs the Addiction Research Center. His work bridges clinical psychology, computer science, and engineering to develop innovative digital solutions for mental health and addiction treatment.

Dr. Curtin's research focuses on digital therapeutics and personal sensing technologies for substance use disorders and mental illness. His laboratory develops software applications that provide evidence-based interventions, treatment management tools, and enhanced communication with care providers. He specializes in algorithm development for moment-to-moment psychiatric risk prediction and just-in-time personalized interventions that adapt to both patient characteristics and their current context.

His research program is highly interdisciplinary, collaborating with the Center for Health Enhancement Systems Studies, computer science, geography, and electrical and computer engineering departments. Dr. Curtin's work combines machine learning approaches with novel data streams from geolocation, cellular communications, social media activity, and wearable biosensors to create more effective and personalized treatment approaches.

Dr. Curtin has secured continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIAAA, NIDA, NCI and NIMH) since 1998. His current research examines machine learning-assisted precision medicine for smoking cessation, contextualized daily prediction of lapse risk in opioid use disorder, and dynamic real-time prediction of alcohol use lapse using mobile health technologies.

His laboratory has produced numerous publications advancing the field of digital mental health interventions, with a particular focus on using technology to deliver precisely tailored treatments at the right moment for individuals struggling with substance use disorders.