Marta
Sokolowska
Ph.D.
Leadership Role
Deputy Center Director for Substance Use and Behavioral Health - Center for Drug Evaluation and Research | CDER
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Marta Sokolowska, Ph.D., is the Deputy Center Director for Substance Use and Behavioral Health in FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). She serves as the center’s executive-level leader responsible for advancing FDA’s public health response to the non-medical use of substances with abuse potential. With expertise in science-based assessment and management of drug abuse risks, Dr. Sokolowska advises senior FDA officials on shaping scientific and policy interventions and executing strategies pertaining to the use of controlled substances and behavioral health programs.
Dr. Sokolowska joined CDER in 2018 as Associate Director for Controlled Substances in the Office of the Center Director. In 2020, she began leading the Controlled Substances Program (CSP), which comprises the Controlled Substance Staff (CSS) and the Controlled Substances Initiatives (CSI) group. CSS provides consultation throughout FDA on evaluation of abuse potential of drugs and advises on all matters related to domestic and international drug scheduling. The strategy group pursues activities and policies to identify, mitigate, and manage emerging issues with controlled substances to minimize risks associated with problematic use while enabling appropriate access to these products for medical use.
Dr. Sokolowska is a recognized expert in drug abuse liability and scheduling strategies. She has facilitated numerous initiatives to improve public health by advancing the science of assessing drug abuse liability. Prior to joining FDA, Dr. Sokolowska held senior clinical and medical leadership roles in the pharmaceutical industry. She earned her doctoral degree in psychology from McMaster University in Canada.