Karen L. Sees, D.O., began consulting with Pinney Associates in 2000. She has over 16 years experience in substance abuse treatment, research, and pain management, with a particular emphasis on innovative treatment of opioid and nicotine dependence.

Previously, Karen served as a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California in San Francisco from 1988 to 1998. From 1989 to 1996, she served as Assistant Chief and then Chief for the Substance Abuse Treatment Clinic in the Department of Psychiatry at the San Francisco Veteran Affairs Medical Center. She was Associate Director of Clinical Research & Development at the ALZA Corporation from 1996 to 1997.

Through her extensive research and development experience, Karen has served as principal investigator for nationally funded R01 grants and as Clinical Program Management/Medical Monitor on Phase I through Phase IIIb clinical trials. Her responsibilities have included researching and writing the abuse liability and risk/benefit sections for INDs and NDAs. Karen has served as a consultant on new drug delivery systems and analgesic use for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies since 1998.

Karen's research has resulted in the writing of numerous book chapters, as well as articles, letters and abstracts for prominent medical journals on topics in substance abuse and pain management.

Having graduated magna cum laude from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 1976 with a bachelor's in science, Karen received her doctorate in osteopathic medicine from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in 1983. Karen's post doctoral training included a rotating internship at Richmond Heights Hospital (now Sinai Medical Center East) from 1983 to 1984, an internal medicine residency at Brentwood Hospital (now Meridia Southpointe Hospital affiliate of the Cleveland Clinic Health Care System) from 1984 to 1987, and a substance abuse fellowship at the VA Medical Center in San Francisco from 1987 to 1989.

Karen is Board Certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine, holds a Certificate of Added Qualifications in Addiction Medicine from the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine, and is certified by examination by the American Society of Addiction Medicine. She is a fellow in the American Osteopathic Academy of Addiction Medicine.