Dr. Lopez-Castro is interested in the mechanisms which connect traumatic stress to substance misuse and the advancement of integrative care for addiction and mental health issues. She is the principal investigator of the Translational Research on Emotions, Addictions, and Trauma (TREAT) laboratory at CCNY. The TREAT lab incorporates affective and social cognitive neuroscience to the investigation of how effective treatments for trauma and addictions create lasting change. Dr. Lopez-Castro is currently researching social cognition's role in traumatic stress and addiction, and how meditation may foster resilience and recovery. Another line of her research involves employing statistical innovations to illuminate the diverse ways people change and recover from addiction. She has published and presented internationally on advancing the field of addiction and trauma treatment research through novel methodologies and therapeutic targets.
