Employee of the Year

Matthew Benik (He/Him)

Bioengineering Major

Matthew is a Bioengineering Major.

Haley Dubovecky (She/Her)

Psychology Major, Bioengineering Minor

Haley Dubovecky is a student with a passion for community engagement and healthcare. She currently participates in several student organizations, including the Plant2Plate community garden, serving as agricultural chair and social chair of Phi Et Sigma. In her free time, Haley volunteers with a program called Street Medicine which aids the homeless population of Pittsburgh in their medical and supply needs. She also holds another research assistant position at UPMC with the company M.A.C.R.O., gaining experience in clinical trauma research. Haley’s commitment to helping others is leading her to pursue Psychiatry, where she hopes to make a difference in the lives of patients and potentially work with disabled populations.

Daniel Mera (He/Him)

Psychology Major, Neuroscience Minor

Daniel Mera has a BS in physics and math from Texas A&M University and a M.S. in Mathematics from Texas A&M University. He is interested in the neuroscience of brain aging specializing in topics such as Alzheimer’s Disease and also on late-life brain disorders and late-life psychiatric illnesses (depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder).

Michael Reider (He/Him)

Psychology Major

Michael Reider is a student at the University of Pittsburgh, studying psychology and neuroscience.

Antonija Kolobaric (She/They)

Neuroscience PhD Student

Antonija holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychological Sciences from Brown University with training in cognitive and social development under Professor David Sobel. She completed postbaccalaureate training in computational neuropsychiatry with Professor Alan Anticevic at Yale University School of Medicine. Currently a graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Neuroscience, Antonija’s research focuses on elucidating the role of the gut-brain axis in cognitive decline and late-life depression under the mentorship of Dr. Carmen Andreescu and Dr. Howard Aizenstein.

Manoj Kuppusamy (He/Him)

Biological Science Major, Bioengineering Minor

Manoj is a student researcher working on the BIOASIS project, and is passionate about mental health awareness and the healthcare field in general. He likes to read, play tennis, and play chess.

Mary Pangburn (She/Her)

Neuroscience Major

Mary is a neuroscience student at Boston College from the Pittsburgh area. She has strong interests in functional connectivity and exploring the relationships between lifestyle factors and brain aging.

Max Rose (He/Him)

Bioengineering Ph.D. Student

Max is a Bioengineering PhD student under the guidance of Dr. Yang and Dr. Aizenstein. He received his bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. His research is related to magnetic resonance spectroscopy/imaging, sequence programming, and image processing with their applications pertaining to the study of various psychiatric illnesses.

Yueyang Chi (He/Him)

Research Specialist

MS Student in Biomedical Sciences

Yueyang Chi joined GPN in 2022 to assist in multiple studies as a liaison between participants and staff, coordinate with Dr. Shaolin Yang and his graduate students, and improve the functionality and efficiency of GPN studies. Yueyang graduated from New York University in May 2022, with interests in biochemistry, molecular biology, and psychopathology.

Alyse Lightner (She/her)

Neuroscience and Psychology Major

Alyse is a senior at the University of Pittsburgh studying Neuroscience and Psychology. She plans on attending Physician Assistant school and currently works on FANSDA and SDAR studies as well as data entry and recruitment.

Mary Pangburn (She/Her)

Neuroscience Major

Mary Pangburn is a neuroscience major who has been working as a volunteer student researcher at GPN since May 2023.

Shreyas Ramkumar (He/Him)

Neuroscience and Computational Biology Major

Shreyas is a pre-med student majoring in neuroscience and computational biology at the University of Pittsburgh. He is currently working on creating computational pipelines with deep learning principles and is interested in exploring how current progress in machine learning could be further applied to the field of neuroscience.

Isabella Snider (She/Her)

Research Associate

BS in Psychology and Africana Studies

Isabella graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in April 2023 after joining GPN in 2022. In her free time, she enjoys walking, birdwatching, and spending time with her cat Tomato.

Howard Aizenstein MD, PhD (He/Him)

GPN Director, Professor of Clinical and Translational Science, Psychiatry and Bioengineering

Doctor of Medicine & PhD in Computer Science from the University of Illinois

Dr. Aizenstein is an expert on the cognitive and affective neuroscience of aging and geriatric brain disorders. He is trained as a geriatric psychiatrist and also a computer scientist. His research program is recognized for expertise in MRI analyses methods, as well as their use for clinical research in aging. Dr. Aizenstein’s research group has developed semi-automated methods of morphometric and functional MRI analyses. He uses structural and functional neuroimaging to identify networks of brain regions associated with affective and cognitive processing, and how these change over time with and without intervention.

Dr. Aizenstein can be contacted at aizensteinhj@upmc.edu

Shaolin Yang, PhD (He/Him)

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry

PhD in Radio Physics from Wuhan University

Dr. Yang’s research focus is on neuroimaging. He develops new techniques in magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and MR imaging and conducts research on the application of these techniques to the development of treatment strategies for neuropsychiatric disorders.

Dr. Yang can be contacted at shaoliny@upmc.edu

Akiko Mizuno, PhD (She/Her)

Research Instructor

BA in Psychology from San Diego State University
PhD in Cognitive Psychology from Carnegie Mellon University

Dr. Mizuno studies the neurobiological mechanisms underlying social cognition that may help to explain the symptoms of dementia and late-life depression.

Dr. Mizuno can be contacted at akm82@pitt.edu

Minjie Wu, PhD (She/Her)

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry

BS in Electrical Engineering from Wuhan University
MS in Electrical Engineering & PhD in Bioengineering from University of Pittsburgh

Dr. Wu is interested in developing advanced multimodal neuroimaging techniques (MRI/PET), and their applications in brain development and aging, neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Dr. Wu can be contacted at miw75@pitt.edu

Nate Steckel (He/Him)

Database Coordinator

BA in computer science

Nate joined the GPN team in 2023 to help build build data storage solutions for various studies. He is also interested in data engineering and accessible web design. In his free time, Nate enjoys drawing and cooking.

Taylor Lazzari (She/Her)

Research Specialist

BS in Psychology

Taylor Lazzari joined GPN in 2022 to assist with participant visits/MRI scans, organization of multiple studies, and coordinating student activities as a student representative. Taylor graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in December 2022, and her research interests include aging/dementia development, neuroscience, and clinical psychology. Taylor enjoys reading, watching movies, and spending time with friends and family in her spare time.

Senior Research Principal

Education
University of Pittsburgh
Bachelor of Science, Psychology

University of Pittsburgh
Master of Arts, Research Methodology

About
Edythe has been working in Aging research since 1990 and joined the GPN team in 2021. She has been coordinating the Healthy Aging study since it began in 2005.

Shannon Lamb (She/They)

Bioengineering Ph.D. Student, Neural Engineering Track

BS in Biomedical Engineering from UC Davis

Shannon Lamb received her Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering and a minor in neuroscience from the University of California, Davis in 2022. They are currently getting their Ph.D. in Bioengineering under the guidance of Dr. Howard Aizenstein and Dr. Minjie Wu. She is part of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) and conducts fMRI research on depression and anxiety across different age groups.

Amy Hoenstine

Senior Research Coordinator

BS in Psychology, Penn State

Amy joined GPN in 2021 to coordinate several of the lab’s studies. Amy also serves as the Student Manager for GPN. In her free time, Amy enjoys running and hiking with her husband and their dog, Raffi.

Vaageesha Das (She/Her)

Computer Science Major

Vaageesha is a student majoring in computer science and minoring in creative writing at the University of Pittsburgh. She is interested in learning more about the field of computational neuroscience and how computers can aid in solving world-wide problems. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, and watching movies.

Edythe Halligan Eddy (She/Her)

Senior Research Principal

BS in Psychology & MA in Research Methodology from the University of Pittsburgh

Edythe has been working in Aging research since 1990 and joined the GPN team in 2021. She has been coordinating the Normal Aging Program since it began in 2005.

Elizabeth Sabo (She/Her)

Research Coordinator

BA in Psychology

Elizabeth is a Research Coordinator at GPN. She joined the lab in October of 2022. In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys taking her daughter to the park.

Noah Schweitzer (He/Him)

Bioengineering Ph.D. Student

Noah is a Bioengineering PhD student who is interested in applying state-of-the-art image analysis methods to answer questions about the neurobiology of aging. His PhD dissertation project focuses on how APOE4 and the female sex contribute to vascular dysfunction in Alzheimer’s Disease. He utilizes mouse models of Alzheimer’s Disease to investigate the cellular mechanisms of this question and translate his findings into human neuroimaging data for clinical applications.

Leonie Finke (She/Her)

Neuroscience and International Studies Major

Leonie works on the NEMO, BIOASIS, and GREAT-MH projects. She performs quality checks for fMRI and carries out patient/participant calls.

Jessica Weber (She/Her)

Bioengineering Ph.D. Student

Jessica is a graduate student researcher working with Dr. Yang and Dr. Aizenstein. Her research focuses on magnetic resonance spectroscopy and its applications to studying different psychiatric illnesses.

Shelby VanVliet (She/Her)

Research Specialist

BS in Neuroscience

Shelby’s research interests are in geriatric mental health and the impacts of chronic stress in brain aging. She enjoys helping to moderate Virtual Senior Academy and Rainbow Virtual Senior Academy.

Linghai Wang

Graduate Student Researcher in Bioengineering and Machine Learning

Linghai is a PhD Candidate working on applying deep learning methods in neuroscience.

Rachel Berta (She/Her)

Senior Research Coordinator

BA in Applied Psychology

Rachel has been working in research for the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh since 2010 and joined the GPN lab in 2014. Rachel’s duties span from working with participants and data, along with administrative work. She enjoys all aspects of her work at GPN and also enjoys spending time at home with her daughter, french bulldog, and husband.

Jeff Krystek (He/Him)

Systems Analyst Senior

BA in Anthropology & Psychology from Pennsylvania State University
BS in Computer Science from the University of Pittsburgh

Jeff has been working in the GPN lab since December 2012. He enjoys working directly with research volunteers as well as processing the data for our MRI studies. His future goal is to apply his computer science education to be part of an astrophysics team.

Joseph Kazan, MD (He/Him)

Postdoctoral Scholar in Psychiatry

BS in Biology, Doctor of Medicine

Joseph’s research focuses on the behavioral implications of social isolation and loneliness in older adults. He is also interested in treatment-resistant depression and bereavement research.

Jiatai Li (He/Him)

Artificial Intelligence Major

Jiatai is an undergraduate student at the school of Computer Science at CMU. He’s interested in the applications of deep learning methods in medical image processing as well as the application of multimodal models in embodied agents.

Diane LaRusse (She/Her)

Research Project Coordinator

BA in Psychology from Pennsylvania State University

Diane began working at WPIC in clinical and research capacities in 2002. She joined GPN in 2021 and is interested in healthy aging across the lifespan.

Michele Bechtold

Research Coordinator

BA in Psychology, MPA from West Virginia University

Michele is a Research Coordinator, joining the GPN team in January 2021. She has been coordinating PET and MRI studies since 2002.

Emani Hunter (She/Her)

Bioengineering Ph.D. Student

Emani received her bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science and Data Science from Michigan State University. She is currently advised by Dr. Aizenstein, Dr. Wu and Dr. Iordanova in the department of Bioengineering. She is interested in the intersection of AI and psychiatry and is currently working on applying deep learning methods to large scale problems related to Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and depression.

Jaclyn Toboz (She/Her)

Administrative Program Coordinator

Jaclyn Toboz

Jaclyn Toboz (She/Her)

Administrative Program Coordinator

Howard Aizenstein, MD, PhD

Co-Director of GPN
Charles F. Reynolds III and Ellen G. Detlefsen Endowed Chair of Geriatric Psychiatry
Attending Psychiatrist, Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and Benedum Geriatric Center
Co-Director of Clinical Research Training in Late-Life Mood Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Associate Professor of Clinical and Translational Science, University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science Institute
Professor of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Professor of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh

Education
University of Illinois
Doctor of Medicine

University of Illinios
Ph.D. in Computer Science

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Internship in General Psychiatry and Medicine,
Residency in General and Adult Psychiatry,
Fellowship in Geriatric Psychiatry

About
Dr. Aizenstein is an expert on the cognitive and affective neuroscience of aging and geriatric brain disorders. He is trained as a geriatric psychiatrist and also a computer scientist. His research program is recognized for expertise in MRI analyses methods, as well as their use for clinical research in aging. Dr. Aizenstein’s research group has developed semi-automated methods of morphometric and functional MRI analyses. He uses structural and functional neuroimaging to identify networks of brain regions associated with affective and cognitive processing, and how these change over time with and without intervention. Dr. Aizenstein has experience with fMRI studies in a variety of psychiatric disorders involving mood and cognitive disorders. He will contribute to science his expertise in brain imaging, the analysis of brain images, and geriatric psychiatry.

Publication Links:
PubMed
Research Gate

Minjie Wu, PhD

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry

Education
Wuhan University
BS in Electrical Engineering, 1998

University of Pittsburgh
MS in Electrical Engineering, 2008
PhD in Bioengineering, 2009

About
Dr. Wu is interested in developing advanced multimodal neuroimaging techniques (MRI/PET), and their applications in brain development and aging, neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Joseph Kazan

Postdoctoral Scholar in Psychiatry

Education
American University of Beirut
BS in Biology 2016
Doctor of Medicine, 2020

About
My research focuses on the behavioral implications of social isolation and loneliness in older adults. I am also interested in treatment-resistant depression and bereavement research.

Publication Links:
Google Scholar
Research Gate
LinkedIn

Jeff Krystek

Systems Analyst II

Education
Pennsylvania State University
BA in Anthropology, 2012
BA in Psychology, 2012

University of Pittsburgh
BS in Computer Science, 2018

About
Jeff has been working in the GPN lab since December 2012. He enjoys working directly with research volunteers as well as processing the data for our MRI studies. His future goal is to apply his computer science education to be part of an astrophysics team.

Rachel Berta

Senior Research Coordinator

Education

Pennsylvania State University
BA in Applied Psychology, 2010

About
Rachel has been working in research for the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh since 2010 and joined the GPN lab in 2014. Rachel’s duties span from working with participants and data, along with administrative work. She enjoys all aspects of her work at GPN and also enjoys spending time at home with her daughter, french bulldog, and husband.

Akiko Mizuno, PhD

Research Instructor

Education
San Diego State University
BA in Psychology, 2005

Carnegie Mellon University
PhD in Cognitive Psychology, 2013

About
Akiko studies the neurobiological mechanisms underlying social cognition that may help to explain the symptoms of dementia and late-life depression.

Alec James DiVito

Postdoctoral Scholar in Psychiatry

Education
University of Pittsburgh,
BS in Neuroscience 2017

Temple University,
Doctor of Medicine, 2021

About
I am interested in the neurobiology of psychiatric disease and in the development of novel psychopharmacologic treatments and their mechanisms.

Publication Links:
Psychedelics as an emerging novel intervention in the treatment of substance use disorder: a review

Helmet Karim, PhD

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Bioengineering

Education
University of Pittsburgh
PhD in Bioengineering

About
I develop models to predict treatment response variability in major depression primarily using neuroimaging data. I also help develop pipelines for neuroimage processing.

Publication Links:
PubMed
Google Scholar
Research Gate
LinkedIn
Orcid

Sang Joon Son

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
Ajou University School of Medicine

Education
Yonsei University College of Medicine, South Korea
MD/PhD, Geriatric Psychiatry

About
My expertise includes some experiences with construction and maintenance of clinical and neuroimaging data platforms in the field of geriatric psychiatry. I would like to use integrated data to research on precision psychiatry as a clinician.

Publication Links:
Google Scholar

Dana Williams

Research Manager

Education
Duquesne University
BA in Psychology, 2003

University of Pittsburgh
MS in Applied Developmental Psychology, 2008

About
Dana has been involved with research at UPMC since 2004 and joined the GPN team in 2016. She really enjoys working directly with people and learning new aspects to facilitating and coordinating research studies.

Andrew Gerlach

Postdoctoral Scholar in Psychiatry

Education
University of Michigan
BSE, MSE, PhD in nuclear engineering and radiological sciences

About
I am interested in applying novel computational and statistical methods to imaging and longitudinal data to help elucidate the neurobiological processes that underlie abnormal brain function, with a focus on anxiety and depression in the geriatric population.

Scott Ward

Research Specialist

Education
University of Pittsburgh
B.S. in Psychology, 2017

About
Scott studied Psychology and Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh. After graduation, he worked for UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital as a Milieu Therapist on an inpatient unit before transitioning to research. Scott joined the GPN research team in April, 2020.

Kara Buente

Research Coordinator

Education
La Roche College
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, 2012

Chatham University
Master of Arts, Psychology, 2017

About
Kara joined the GPN team in October 2017. She enjoys working directly with participants and administering clinical interviews. She previously worked on inpatient behavioral health units for 5 years prior to joining the lab.

Kristine Wilckens

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry

Education
New York University
M.A. in Cognitive Psychology

University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health
Ph.D. in Psychology

About
Dr. Wilckens is a Cognitive Psychologist investigating sleep as a promoter of brain health and cognitive fitness.

Nishita Muppidi

Undergraduate Computer Bioengineering

Education
University of Pittsburgh
Class of 2020

About
Nishita is an undergraduate student at the University of Pittsburgh majoring in Bioengineering. She is interested in using neuroimaging and machine learning to study neurodegenerative diseases such as the Alzheimer’s disease.

Alyssa Neppach

Undergraduate Neuroscience & Statistics

Education
University of Pittsburgh
Class of 2020

About
My name is Alyssa Neppach. I am a junior at the University of Pittsburgh studying Neuroscience and Statistics with a certificate in Conceptual Foundations of Medicine. I plan to attend graduate school to further my education in Neuroscience.

Vamsi Rojulpote

Undergraduate Student of Neuroscience

Education
University of Pittsburgh

About
Vamsi is a student researcher keenly interested in psychiatric pathophysiology, fMRI and the general work of the brain. Vamsi is eager to learn more about this field, with aspirations to become a doctor.

Thomas Skoff

Undergraduate Bioengineering

Education
University of Pittsburgh
Bioengineering Major

Sara Ropeta

Undergraduate Psychology

Education
University of Pittsburgh

About
Sara came to Pittsburgh in 2017 to study Psychology and complete a minor in Creative Writing, as well as a Certificate in Transatlantic studies. She plans to attend graduate school for Clinical Psychology in the near future. Sara has been working in the lab since October 2018.

External Links:
LinkedIn
Handshake

Ryan Dibble

Undergraduate Neuroscience

Education
University of Pittsburgh

Molly Appezzato

Undergraduate Pre-med

Education
University of Pittsburgh

About
Molly is from New Jersey and is now a junior at the University of Pittsburgh with a Natural Science – Pre-med major. She has been a part of the lab since September 2018 and plans to attend graduate school after graduating from Pitt.

Matthew Rosenblatt

Undergraduate Bioengineering

Education
University of Pittsburgh
Class of 2020

About
Matt was born and raised in New Jersey and has been a member of the lab since September 2017. He is studying bioengineering, with a minor in neuroscience, and plans to pursue graduate school.

Makayla Lowe

Undergraduate Psychology, Neuroscience & Chemistry

Education
University of Pittsburgh
Class of 2020

About
MaKayla is originally from Philadelphia, PA and is now junior at the University of Pittsburgh with a major in Psychology along with a minor in neuroscience and chemistry on a pre-health track. Following graduating, MaKayla plans to continue her education through attending physicians assistant school.

Katie Gibbs

Neuroscience & Psychology

Abena Ampofo

Undergraduate Computer Psychology, Chemistry, Sociology & African Studies Certificate

Education
University of Pittsburgh
Class of 2020

About
Abena is a junior studying Psychology and Chemistry with a certificate in African Studies on the pre-health track. In addition to her duties as a research assistant here at the GPN Lab, she is currently an African Studies Program Student Ambassador and a Global Ties Mentor. Abena enjoys trying new foods and catching up with friends and family in her spare time.

Faiha Khan

Systems Programmer/Analyst I

Education
University of Pittsburgh
BS in Bioinformatics, 2019

Erica Tamburo

System Programmer/Analyst Lead

Education
University of Pittsburgh
BS in Bioengineering, 2003
MSE in Bioengineering, 2008
MS in Rehabilitation and Technology, 2010

About
In 2003, Erica received her Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh where she concentrated in Biosignals and Imaging, minored in Electrical Engineering and worked as an RF technician for the MR Research Center. In 2008 she completed her Master’s degree in Bioengineering with a concentration in Rehabilitation Engineering and Human Movement; the focus of her research was accessible exercise equipment design and the physiological affects of the new technology on the physiology of wheelchair users. In 2010 she completed her Master?s degree in Rehabilitation Science and Technology and continued to focus on exercise physiology in addition to upper extremity wheelchair biomechanics and the effects of repetitive movements on the upper extremity musculature and tendons. In 2010 she returned her focus to imaging research and joined the Geriatric Neuroimaging Laboratory. Her current interests include data management, Filemaker database design, image analysis pipeline development and workflow optimization.

Mark Stinley

Research Project Assistant

Education
University of Pittsburgh
BS in Psychology, 2018

About
Mark studied psychology and neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, with an interest in neuroimaging research. During his undergraduate years, he worked in a neuroimaging lab that focused on the effects of childhood adversity on the adult brain. His future goal is to achieve a doctorate degree in clinical psychology.

David Schatz

Senior Systems Consultant

Rebecca MacCloud

Systems Analyst Intermediate

Education
Carnegie Mellon University
BS in Biological Sciences and Psychology, 2010

Sally Lagattuta

Administrative Program Coordinator

Education
Robert Morris University
Bachelor of Science, 1990

Jasmine Green

Research Associate

Education:
University of Pittsburgh

About
Jasmine graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in Social Sciences with concentrations in Psychology, Anthropology, and Africana Studies.

Deb Goodnow

Research Specialist

Education
University of Pittsburgh
Class of 2021

David Devine

Systems Analyst Associate

Education
Carnegie Mellon University
BS in Psychology, 2012

About
David studied neuroscience in CMU, focusing on fMRI. After graduation, he worked in cognitive rehab therapy for people with brain injuries. He is now conducting neuroimaging research in the GPN lab.

Carmen Andreescu, MD

Co-Director of GPN
Associate Professor of Psychiatry
University of Pittsburgh

Education
Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy
Doctor of Medicine

Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC
Residency in Psychiatry
Fellowship in Geriatric Psychiatry

About
Dr. Andreescu is a geriatric psychiatrist and over the last decade she studied the neural basis of mood and anxiety disorders in the elderly. She is currently investigating the functional neuroanatomy correlates of worry in older adults, with a special interest for the association of worry severity with connectivity measures in canonical brain networks and the moderation effect of brain aging. Additionally, Dr. Andreescu studies functional connectivity changes associated with medication exposure in late-life depression. She is also involved in projects focused on the association between insulin resistance and depression.

Publication Links:
PubMed
Research Gate
Google Scholar

Jordyn Nermark

Medical Student

Education
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Candidate; expected May 2021

Boston University, Graduate School of Medical Sciences
MS in Medical Sciences; May 2016

Boston College, College of Arts and Sciences
BS in Psychology, Pre-Med Program; May 2013
Arts & Sciences Honors Program

About
I am pursuing a career in psychiatric medicine with a possible focus in geriatric psychiatry. I developed an interest in research while working on my Honors Thesis in undergrad in a neurobiology laboratory. I continued to develop my basic science research skills during the pursuit of my Masters Thesis in an immunology laboratory for which I also served as lab manager. However, after discovering a passion both for psychiatry and connecting with patients, I decided to explore a more clinical side of research when I was welcomed into the Geriatric Psychiatry Research Training Program. I intend to publish a literature review on the challenges of participation in geriatric mental health research, and am preparing a qualitative research project interviewing geriatric patients to discuss their opinions on mental health research.

Marta Peniña, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Education
University of Navarra, Spain
MD, 2005
PhD in Neuroscience, 2009

University of Michigan
Post-Doctoral Fellowship, 2012

About
Marta’s research interests lie in the fields of psychiatry, neuroscience, neuroimaging and pharmacology. Within these fields, Marta’s current research projects investigate the interaction between the neurobiology of depression and the response to cognitive expectations of improvement (“placebo effects”) and pharmacological treatments.

Publication Links:
Research Gate

Stephen Smagula, PhD

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry

Education
Lafayette College
BS in Neuroscience, 2009

Teachers College Columbia University
MS, Neuroscience and Education, 2010

University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, PhD in Epidemiology, 2014

About
The broad goal of my research program is to identify and intervene on the modifiable risk factors for accelerated brain aging and depression. My ongoing NIMH-supported research-training (K01) focuses on older dementia caregivers, who are both critical to society, and experiencing high levels of stress/depression. We are longitudinally examining: (1) how sleep-wake patterns and stress relate to the brain, and (2) what inter-related psychosocial, behavioral (sleep-wake), and neurobiological factors drive depression risk. I am also developing mobile wearable technology for monitoring and intervening on the daily patterns that drive suboptimal brain aging and depression. I plan to translate my observational research findings and mobile Circadian Activity Profiling System (CAPS) into effective, scalable, interventions.

Publication Links:
PubMed
Google Scholar
Research Gate

Dana Tudorascu, PhD

Associate Professor of Medicine, Biostatistics, Psychiatry, and Clinical and Translational Science

Education
University of Craiova
BS in Mathematics, 1999

University of Duquesne
MS in Computational Mathematics, 2003

University of Pittsburgh
PhD in Biostatistics, 2009

About
Dr. Tudorascu’s specific interests are in the analysis of structural MRI, functional MRI (task/resting state/connectivity), and PET data with applications in healthy aging population and patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Tudorascu is also interested in investigating and improving registration and classification methods for individuals with white-matter disease and atrophy.

Publication Links:
PubMed
Pitt Faculty

Maria Ly

MD/PhD Student

Education
Johns Hopkins University, 2012
BA in Neuroscience, Minor in Psychology

University of Pittsburgh, expected 2022
MD/PhD

Publication Links:
PubMed
Google Scholar
Email

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