Judith Feinberg

Judith Feinberg is a Professor at West Virginia University School of Medicine with appointments across multiple departments including Behavioral Medicine & Psychiatry, Medicine (Infectious Diseases), Department of Neuroscience, and the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute. She earned her MD from Rush Medical College and has established herself as a leading expert in infectious diseases related to substance use disorders, particularly focusing on the opioid epidemic's impact in rural communities.

Dr. Feinberg's research primarily focuses on HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, and the intersection of infectious diseases with substance use disorders. Her work emphasizes harm reduction strategies, syringe service programs, and improving access to treatment for people who inject drugs in rural settings. She has been instrumental in establishing evidence-based interventions to address the opioid crisis in Appalachia, with particular attention to West Virginia, which has some of the highest rates of hepatitis and overdose deaths in the United States.

Her publication record demonstrates consistent focus on the epidemiology of infectious diseases among people who use drugs, with recent work examining the HERO study outcomes, hepatitis C treatment adherence, and the impact of the opioid epidemic on rural communities. Her research shows increasing attention to integrated care models addressing both substance use disorders and associated infectious diseases.

• 2020 You Make a Difference Award, Community Liver Alliance, Pittsburgh
• 2015 Cincinnati Healthcare Hero, finalist and winner, Community Outreach

Dr. Feinberg holds numerous federal and state grants addressing the opioid epidemic, including funding from NIDA, PCORI, the Appalachian Regional Commission, and CDC. She has been pivotal in establishing the first E.B. Flink Vice Chair for Research position in the Department of Medicine at WVU. Her work bridges clinical research, public health policy, and community-based interventions to address the complex challenges of substance use disorders in rural America.