Elisha M. Wachman, MD
Associate Professor, Pediatrics

Biography
Dr. Wachman is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and attending neonatologist at Boston Medical Center (BMC). She is currently the Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Pediatrics at BMC, and the Co-Director of the BU CTSI Integrated Pilot Grant Award Program. She is a nationally recognized clinical and translational researcher with expertise in neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) and substance use disorders in pregnancy. Her specific research interests include the genetics and epigenetics of NOWS, treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD) in pregnancy, and the use of non-pharmacologic care methods to improve NOWS outcomes. She is currently the principal investigator on two NIH studies examining opioid use disorder in pregnancy, genetic markers, and long-term maternal and infant outcomes. She also leads several other NIH and foundation funded studies involving pregnant individuals with OUD / infants with NOWS.
Other Positions
- Co-Director, Integrated Pilot Grant Award Program, Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Boston University
Education
- Boston University School of Medicine, MD
- Georgetown University, BS
Publications
- Published on 9/29/2023
Sabharwal V, Taglauer E, Demos R, Snyder-Cappione J, Shaik-Dasthagirisaheb YB, Parker-Kelleher SP, Hunnewell J, Boateng J, Clark K, Yuen R, Barnett ED, Wachman EM, Yarrington C. Comparison of anti-SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody signatures in maternal and infant blood after COVID-19 infection versus COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy. Am J Perinatol. 2023 Sep 29. PMID: 37774748.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 9/27/2023
Borrelli KN, Wingfield KK, Yao EJ, Zamorano CA, Sena KD, Beierle JA, Roos MA, Zhang H, Wachman EM, Bryant CD. Decreased myelin-related gene expression in the nucleus accumbens during spontaneous neonatal opioid withdrawal in the absence of long-term behavioral effects in adult outbred CFW mice. Neuropharmacology. 2023 Sep 27; 240:109732. PMID: 37774943.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 9/20/2023
Deflorimonte C, Glissendorf V, Hofer J, Cai A, Iannella N, Boateng JO, Carter G, Saia KA, Jones HE, Wachman EM. National Provider Survey: Use of Naltrexone for Pregnant Individuals with Substance Use Disorders. J Addict Med. 2023 Sep 20. PMID: 37729010.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 8/7/2023
Borrelli KN, Wingfield KK, Yao EJ, Zamorano CA, Sena KD, Beierle JA, Roos MA, Zhang H, Wachman EM, Bryant CD. Decreased myelin-related gene expression in the nucleus accumbens during spontaneous neonatal opioid withdrawal in the absence of long-term behavioral effects in adult outbred CFW mice. bioRxiv. 2023 Aug 07. PMID: 37609129.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 6/3/2023
Morrison TM, Standish KR, Wanar A, Crowell L, Safon CB, Colvin BN, Friedman H, Schiff DM, Wachman EM, Colson ER, Drainoni ML, Parker MG. Drivers of decision-making regarding infant sleep practices among mothers with opioid use disorder. J Perinatol. 2023 Jul; 43(7):923-929. PMID: 37270538.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 5/19/2023
Holland E, Gibbs L, Spence NZ, Young M, Werler MM, Guang Z, Saia K, Bateman BT, Achu R, Wachman EM. A comparison of postpartum opioid consumption and opioid discharge prescriptions among opioid-naïve patients and those with opioid use disorder. Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM. 2023 Aug; 5(8):101025. PMID: 37211090.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 5/5/2023
Miele K, Kim SY, Jones R, Rembert JH, Wachman EM, Shrestha H, Henninger ML, Kimes TM, Schneider PD, Sivaloganathan V, Sward KA, Deshmukh VG, Sanjuan PM, Maxwell JR, Seligman NS, Caveglia S, Louis JM, Wright T, Bennett CC, Green C, George N, Gosdin L, Tran EL, Meaney-Delman D, Gilboa SM. Medication for Opioid Use Disorder During Pregnancy - Maternal and Infant Network to Understand Outcomes Associated with Use of Medication for Opioid Use Disorder During Pregnancy (MAT-LINK), 2014-2021. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2023 May 05; 72(3):1-14. PMID: 37130060.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 4/4/2023
Kropp FB, Smid MC, Lofwall MR, Wachman EM, Martin PR, Murphy SM, Wilder CM, Winhusen TJ. Collaborative care programs for pregnant and postpartum individuals with opioid use disorder: Organizational characteristics of sites participating in the NIDA CTN0080 MOMs study. J Subst Use Addict Treat. 2023 Jun; 149:209030. PMID: 37023858.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 3/13/2023
Bektas G, Soderborg T, Slater C, Agarwal J, Racioppi M, Hogan T, Werler MM, Wachman EM. The Neonatal Withdrawal Assessment Tool (NWAT): pilot inter-rater reliability and content validity. J Perinatol. 2023 Jul; 43(7):930-935. PMID: 36914798.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 1/29/2023
Sabharwal V, Demos R, Snyder-Cappione J, Parker SE, Shaik-Dasthagirisaheb Y, Hunnewell J, Boateng J, Clarke K, Yuen R, Barnett E, Yarrington C, Taglauer E, Wachman EM. Cytokine levels in maternal and infant blood after COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy in comparison with unvaccinated controls. J Reprod Immunol. 2023 Mar; 156:103821. PMID: 36764228.
Read at: PubMed
View 65 more publications: View full profile at BUMC