Bio
Thomas Stopka is an epidemiologist and professor at the Department of Public Health and Community Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. Stopka’s current mixed methods research focuses on the intersection of substance use disorder, opioid overdose, and infectious diseases. He employs geographic information systems (GIS), spatial epidemiological, qualitative, and biostatistical approaches in multi-site, interdisciplinary studies, and public health interventions to better understand and curb opioid-related morbidity and mortality. He is currently mPI on three clinical trials and observational studies funded by the NIH, CDC, and SAMHSA to test new mobile telemedicine-based HCV treatment and harm reduction models, employ Bayesian spatiotemporal models to predict opioid overdose spikes to inform pre-emptive public health responses, and evaluate the overdose prevention impacts of administration of extended-relief buprenorphine in corrections facilities. Stopka is also co-chair of the Tufts Research Cluster focused on Equity in Health, Wealth, and Civic Engagement, and chair of the Public Health and Community Medicine Departmental Research Committee at Tufts. He teaches courses in GIS and spatial epidemiology, research methods for public health, and epidemiology. He enjoys mentoring research assistants, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty.