Background
Titles
- Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
- Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Research Interests
Opioid treatment; Incentive-based treatments; Cigarette smoking; Alcohol treatment ...read more
Kelly Elaine Dunn, Ph.D., M.B.A., M.S.
Education
Degrees
- M.B.A.; Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business (Maryland) (2019)
- B.A.; State University of New York (Oswego) (New York) (2002)
- M.S.; University of New Orleans (Louisiana) (2005)
- Ph.D.; University of Vermont (Vermont) (2009)
Additional Training
2002: BA Philosophy; Oswego State University
2013: Postdoctoral Fellowship in Behavioral Pharmacology; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Research & Publications
Research Summary
I have focused primarily on the treatment of opioid use disorder using human subjects. I have worked on more than 10 randomized clinical trial evaluations of treatments for patients with opioid use disorder, and have contributed to research regarding medication development for alcohol use disorder and cigarette smoking. I am currently pursing several lines of research regarding methods to enhance opioid treatment outcomes, to improve prevention of opioid overdose, to understand mechanisms underlying the development of opioid use disorder, to reduce concurrent problems among patients with opioid use disorder, and to develop tools for sensitively measuring overdose risk and noninjection drug use behavior with an emphasis on reducing HIV and HCV risk behaviors. Finally, I also have training in the use of incentives (contingency management) to modify behaviors.
More generally, I have expertise in human laboratory based studies of behavioral pharmacological techniques, clinical trial management and development, including FDA Good Clinical Practice procedures and guidelines, and secondary analyses of research projects with an emphasis on evaluating clinically-relevant outcomes.
Clinical Trial Keywords
opioid; opiate; outcome measures; alcohol, overdose; smoking; incentive
Selected Publications
Dunn, K.E., Sigmon, S.C. Thomas, C.S., Heil, S.H., & Higgins, S.T. Voucher-based contingent reinforcement of smoking abstinence among methadone-maintained patients: A pilot study. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. 2008. Vol. 41 (4), pp 527-538. PMCID: PMC2606604
Dunn, K.E., Sigmon, S.C., Reimann, E.R., Badger, G.J., Heil, S.H., & Higgins, S.T. A contingency-management intervention to promoteinitialsmoking cessation among opioid-maintained patients. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology. 2010. Vol. 18 (1), pp 37-50. PMCID: PMC3131670
Dunn, K.E., Sigmon, S.C., Strain, E., Heil, S.H., & Higgins, S.T. The association between outpatient buprenorphine detoxification duration and clinical treatment outcomes: A review. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 2011. Vol. 119 (1-2), pp 1-9. PMCID: PMC3205338.
Dunn, K.E., Saulsgiver, K.A., Patrick, M.E., Heil, S.H., Higgins, S.T., & Sigmon, S.C. Characterizing and Improving HIV and Hepatitis Knowledge Among Primary Prescription Opioid Abusers. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 2013. Vol. 133 (2), pp 625-632. PMCID: PMC3824383
Sigmon, S.C., Dunn, K.E., Saulsgiver, K., Patrick, M., Badger, G.J., Heil, S.H., Brooklyn, J.R., & Higgins, S.T. Randomized, double-blind parametric evaluation of buprenorphine taper for the treatment of prescription opioid dependence. JAMA Psychiatry. 2013. Vol. 70 (12), pp 1347-1354. PMCID: PMC4131728
Dunn, K.E., Saulsgiver, K.A., Miller, M.E., Nuzzo, P.A., & Sigmon, S.C. (2015). Characterizing opioid withdrawal during double-blind buprenorphine detoxification. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, Vol. 151, pp 47-55.
Dunn, K.E., Finan, P., Tompkins, D.A., Fingerhood, M., & Strain, E.C. (2015). Characterizing pain and associated coping strategies in methadone and buprenorphine-maintained patients. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, Vol. 157, pp 143-149.
Academic Affiliations & Courses
Courses and Syllabi
-
Introductory Psychology
University of New Orleans
2005 - 2005 -
Introductory Psychology
University of Vermont
2006 - 2006 -
Drugs of Abuse and Behavior
University of Vermont
2007 - 2009 -
Introductory Psychology
Community College Baltimore County- Essex
2010 - 2015 -
Psychopharmacology
Goucher College
2013 - 2014 -
Cognitive Psychology, Laboratory
Goucher College
2012 - 2012 -
Principles of Human Development
Community College of Baltimore County- Essex
2015 - 2015 -
Epidemiology of Substance Abuse
Johns Hopkins School of Public Health; Fall Institute
2015 - 2015
Activities & Honors
Honors
- Meritorious Research Award, Oswego State University - 2002
- Psi Chi Regional Research Award, Psi Chi, Eastern Psychological Association - 2002
- NIDA Director's Travel Award to College on the Problems of Drug Dependence, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2006 - 2012
- Science Directorate Travel Award to American Psychological Association Convention, American Psychological Association, 2007 - 2009
- Early Career Research Travel Award, College on the Problems of Drug Dependence - 2010
- Outstanding Dissertation Award, Division 28 of the American Psychological Association - 2010
- New Investigator Travel Award for American Health Services Meeting, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - 2011
- Young Psychopharmacologist Award, Division 28 of the American Psychological Association - 2015
Memberships
- American Psychological Association, 2006 - 2009
Science Student Council Behavioral Neuroscience Representative
- College on the Problems of Drug Dependence, 2013 - 2015
Member Underrepresented Minorities Committee
{line break} - Division 28; Psychopharmacology and Substance Use (Member), 2010 - 2013
Early Career Representative to the Executive Committee
- Division 28; Psychopharmacology and Substance Use (Member), 2011 - 2014
Division Newsletter Editor
- Division 28; Psychopharmacology and Substance Use (Member), 2014 - 2016
Division Secretary
- Division 28; Psychopharmacology and Substance Use (Member)
Program Chair
- Division 50; Addictions (Member), 2010 - 2013
Early Career Psychologist Representative to Advocacy and Public Policy Committee
- College on the Problems of Drug Dependence, 2014 - 2016
Member Program Committee
Patient Ratings & Comments
The Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to physician related questions on the national CG-CAHPS Medical Practice patient experience survey through Press Ganey. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best score. Comments are also gathered from our CG-CAHPS Medical Practice Survey through Press Ganey and displayed in their entirety. Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.