Flavio S. Pechansky, M.D., Ph.D.
Center for Drug and Alcohol Research
Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
Porto Alegre, Brazil
Dr. Pechansky first participated in a NIDA International Program meeting in the early 1990s, which ultimately led to his selection as a 1993–1994 NIDA Hubert H. Humphrey Drug Abuse Research Fellow, where he initiated his collaborations with the University of Delaware and the University of Pennsylvania and began building a string of successes in collaborative drug abuse research, including early cross-sectional and longitudinal research on the epidemiology of risk behaviors for HIV infection among Brazilian drug users. In 2003, Dr. Pechansky established the Porto Alegre Center for Drug and Alcohol Research, affiliated with the University of Delaware’s Center for Drug and Alcohol Studies and the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, to train young investigators and conduct NIH-supported research on interventions for cocaine users at risk for HIV and HIV prevention among women, mentally ill patients, and drug users. Throughout his career, Dr. Pechansky has worked to create a vibrant center for drug abuse research by ensuring that younger staff members take advantage of opportunities to train with senior scientists, participate in international meetings, and develop their own research on drug abuse and addiction. By working closely with the University of Delaware, the University of Pennsylvania, and national and international committees, Dr. Pechansky has trained numerous researchers working to improve scientific understanding of drug abuse and addiction.