Dr. Silvia Martins

Biography

Silvia Martins is a Professor of Epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University. She serves as the Director of the Substance Use Epidemiology Unit, affiliated with various interdisciplinary groups such as the Policy and Health Initiatives on Opioids and other Substances (PHIOS). With over 290 peer-reviewed epidemiological articles, including over 100 as the senior author, she has contributed significantly to the field. Her research primarily addresses the typology of prescription drug monitoring programs and their impact on prescription opioid and heroin overdoses. She also employs machine learning techniques to analyze opioid policies related to high opioid prescribing and the effects of recreational cannabis laws on substance use outcomes among adolescents and adults. A dedicated mentor, she has received multiple awards for her research mentoring, including the 2017 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring from Columbia University and the 2021 Mentor of the Year Award from the Irving Medical Center. In 2021, she was selected as one of the School’s 2021-2023 Tow Leadership Scholars and received the Calderone Health Equity Award the same year. Her ongoing research delves into the effects of medical and recreational cannabis laws in the U.S., the interplay between opioid and cannabis policies, and the implications for pregnant and postpartum women, as well as drug overdose trends in Latin America.

Research Interests