Veronica Bucci, PhD

Veronica Bucci is currently a Research Specialist working on multiple clinical trials related to substance use treatment with Dr. Niranjan Karnik. Her work focuses on medical and behavioral interventions for individuals with cocaine and opioid use disorders, respectively. She will begin her PhD in Clinical Psychology under the mentorship of Dr. Robin Mermelstein starting Fall 2025. Veronica’s research interests are focused on behavioral mechanisms that underlie sustained and hazardous substance use and what kinds of support and interventions can mitigate these behaviors throughout the lifespan. She hopes to engage in studies that capture what components of cravings, psychological influences, and societal factors (1) facilitate risk behaviors, (2) how these attributes shift throughout young adulthood, and (3) how education and policy can be improved to better treat the biopsychosocial components of substance use disorders.