Biography

Email:  Karina.Villalba@ucf.edu

Education, Training, & Research: 

• MBA, Healthcare, Florida International University
• PhD, Public Health, Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, Florida International University
• MPH, Public Health, Environmental Health Sciences, Florida International University
• B.A., Exercise Physiology, Florida International University

Specialties: 

• Substance Use Disorders (SUD)
• Cannabis and Cannabinoid
• Trauma and violence
• Mental health disorders

Research Interests: 

Dr. Villalba’s research examines the therapeutic potential of cannabis and cannabinoids in mental health and substance use disorders. Her work primarily focuses on the role of cannabidiol (CBD) in stress regulation, inflammation, and memory reconsolidation, particularly in conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD). Additional interests include epidemiological studies on the simultaneous and co-occurring use of cannabis and alcohol, examining their impact on health and addiction risk.

Dr. Villalba has also led and contributed to multidisciplinary national and international studies on the intersection of alcohol use, sexual and physical trauma, adverse childhood experiences, and HIV. Internationally, Dr. Villalba has established a network of researchers across Latin America and Spain, including countries such as Bolivia, Peru, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Brazil.  She has played a leading role and collaborated on research initiatives across Spain and Latin America, reinforcing global substance use and mental health research.

Recent Publications: 

Villalba, K., Latorre-Garcia, W., & Attonito, J. (2025). The Relationship Between Intimate Partner Violence, Depression, Alcohol Abuse in Black and Hispanic Women. Journal of interpersonal violence, 40(3-4), 681–695.

Attonito J., Mueller J., Villalba K. (2025) Predictors of Replacing Alcohol with Cannabis Among Adult Women. Cannabis (in press).

Siuluta N, Villalba K., Candidate SC., Lopez-Quintero C., Scaglione N., Cook RL. (2025) Sociodemographic Characteristics Associated with Lifetime and Recent Traumatic Experiences Among People Living with HIV in Florida. AIDS and Behavior (in press).

Corry JL., Monzon A., Patton SR., Gurnurkar S., Gordon L., Villalba K., Hughes Lansing A., Wasserman RM. (2025) Health Care Provider Practices and Perceptions on Screening for and Discussing Adolescent Alcohol Use in Pediatric Diabetes Clinics Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology (accepted).

Mueller J., Sapp J., Attonito J., Villalba K. (2025). Cannabis Substitution for Anxiety and Depression Medications in Adult Women. Journal of Cannabis Research (accepted).

Deaterly, C., Richards, V., Weaver, M., Villalba, K., Varma, D., Payton, I., & Cook, R. (2024). Associations of Intimate Partner Violence and Drug Use on Viral Suppression Among Women Living With HIV in South Florida: A Secondary Analysis. The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care : JANAC, 35(3), 245–251.

Villalba, K., Domenico, L. H., Cook, R. L., O’Connor, J., Michael-Samaroo, K., Espejo,

M. J. D. P., Martin, P., & Dévieux, J. G. (2023). Emotion regulation and cognitive function as mediating factors for the association between lifetime abuse and risky behaviors in women of color. PloS one, 18(10), e0279325.

Sannegowda, R., Villalba, K., Suk, R., Gurnurkar, S., & Wasserman, R. M. (2023). Recent Rates of Substance Use Among Adolescents and Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes in the USA. Current diabetes reports, 23(1), 1–17.