Brandon Sands, BA

Brandon Sands is a Research Assistant within Yale Psychiatry engaged in grant-supported clinical trials for novel alcohol use disorder treatments in adults and also novel methods of chronic and neuropathic pain management for those with congenital neurological disease.

Brandon received his Bachelor's degree in psychology from Vanderbilt University, where he first became involved in research through his work on a Vanderbilt study investigating the impact of VR on the mood and withdrawal symptoms of patients receiving inpatient drug detox and rehabilitation services. He recently completed his two-year Yale appointment as a research associate at the play4REAL XR Lab within the Department of General Internal Medicine, where he engaged in a clinical trial of a VR vaping prevention game, development of a multiplayer videogame to promote HIV/STI testing and treatment for Black teens, and also early development of an AR alcohol harm reduction game for teens.

Brandon has a strong research interest in improving health outcomes for vulnerable populations including racial minorities and those with criminal justice involvement, and has a strong clinical interest in understanding and disrupting cycles of addiction.