Announcement
February 9, 2011

Dr. Nabila El-Bassel Appointed to National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse

Professor Nabila El-Bassel at the Columbia University School of Social Work has been appointed by Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius to serve on the National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse of the National Institute of Health (NIH) for a term commencing immediately until November 2014.

The National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse serves a crucial role in advising NIDA on matters related to the activities carried out by and through the Institute and the policies respecting these activities.  The Council advise, assist and make recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Resources. The Council's 18-person membership, consisting of 12 experts in scientific fields and six knowledgeable members of the general public, as well as ex-officio members who provide liaison with other government entities, provides a valuable and unique source for consultation.

Dr. Nabila El-Bassel is a professor at the Columbia University School of Social Work and the director of the Social Intervention Group and the Global Health Research Center of Central Asia, which was established in 2007. Over the past 20 years, Dr. El-Bassel has designed and tested HIV prevention strategies in clinical trials for women, men, and couples. She has also been funded to train junior faculty and research scientists on HIV prevention intervention science. Dr. El-Bassel has published more than 150 papers, and plays a prominent role in national and international leadership to combat the HIV epidemic.

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About CUSSW (www.socialwork.columbia.edu)
For 112 years, the Columbia University School of Social Work has been a leader in the education of professionals for careers in practice, policy, and administration. Located in New York City, the School offers a master’s and a doctoral program which are nationally and internationally recognized for their excellence. With a signature curriculum that features multidisciplinary courses taught by leading scholars and practitioners and rich field education, CUSSW continues to be at the forefront of clinical and community practice, social policy, and social enterprise administration education, research and innovation in the 21st Century.