Hansel Tookes, MD, MPH, joined the faculty of the University of Miami in the Division of Infectious Diseases after completing his residency in Internal Medicine at Jackson Memorial Hospital. He is the principal investigator of the University of Miami IDEA Lab whose mission is to implement, disseminate, educate, and advocate for the health of people who use drugs. The IDEA Lab also houses the IDEA Exchange, Miami’s syringe services program – the first of its kind in Florida. Dr. Tookes spent five years lobbying the Florida Legislature for the creation of the program as an evidence-based intervention to help decrease Miami-Dade’s soaring HIV rate. In 2016, Dr. Tookes succeeded and the Infectious Disease Elimination Act pilot was signed into law. Today, Dr. Tookes serves as medical director of the IDEA Exchange and successfully passed Infectious Disease Elimination Act of 2019 authorizing statewide expansion of syringe services programs. As a physician at Jackson Memorial, one of the largest public hospitals in the nation, Dr. Tookes works closely with patients with HIV. He is an advocate for health equity and has extensive experience working with both patients of low socioeconomic status and individuals who use drugs. Dr. Tookes’ research interests include behavioral interventions and innovative approaches to HIV prevention. He is a 2021 recipient of a $2.5M NIDA Avenir Award which will test his innovative Tele-Harm Reduction model in a randomized controlled trial. He has received numerous honors, including Miami Chamber of Commerce Healthcare Hero, Starbucks Upstander, and SAVE Champion of Equality.
