GPN
Geriatric Psychiatry Neuroimaging Lab
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    • University of Pittsburgh Alzheimer Disease Research Center
    • Pittsburgh Claude D. Pepper Older American’s Independence Center
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    • Radiofrequency Research Facility
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  • Home
  • Training & Career Opportunities
  • Collaborators
    • University of Pittsburgh Alzheimer Disease Research Center
    • Pittsburgh Claude D. Pepper Older American’s Independence Center
    • VIA Lab
    • UPMC Magnetic Resonance Research Center
    • Pet Research Center
    • Radiofrequency Research Facility
    • Pitt Psychiatry Department
    • Pitt Bioengineering Department
    • Pitt CTSI
    • Pitt epiBrain Journal Club
    • Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition
    • Douglas S. Mennin, PhD
    • Pitt Women’s Behavioral Health laboratory
  • News & Announcements
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Grants

Grants

New Training Grant! – making a bridge between engineering and mental health

New Bioengineering in Psychiatry Training Program Receives ~$1.1M from NIH T32 PITTSBURGH (July 11, 2019) … The University of Pittsburgh Departments of Bioengineering and Psychiatry received a $1,107,386 T32 award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for a unique multidisciplinary program that prepares students with a background in engineering and other quantitative sciences for careers…

Grants

Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01)

Dr. Stephen F. Smagula, recently received a Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01) from the National Institute of Mental Health. This award will sponsor Dr. Smagula’s investigation into the risk architecture of depression in dementia caregivers who are experiencing stress. In particular, as a mentored-scientist in the GPN Lab, he will be focused on understanding…

Contact us

Geriatric Psychiatry Neuroimaging Lab
UPMC Oxford Building
3501 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213


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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
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.

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.

Jaclyn Toboz

Administrative Coordinator

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.

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

Howard Aizenstein, MD, PhD

Howard Aizenstein hovertext
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

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

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.

Helmet Karim, PhD

Postdoctoral Scholar in Psychiatry

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

Akiko Mizuno, PhD

Postdoctoral Scholar in Psychiatry

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.

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

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.

Collaborators
  • University of Pittsburgh Alzheimer Disease Research Center
  • Pittsburgh Claude D. Pepper Older American’s Independence Center
  • VIA Lab
  • UPMC Magnetic Resonance Research Center
  • Pet Research Center
  • Radiofrequency Research Facility
  • Pitt Psychiatry Department
  • Pitt Bioengineering Department
  • Pitt CTSI
  • Pitt epiBrain Journal Club
  • Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition
  • Douglas S. Mennin, PhD
  • Pitt Women’s Behavioral Health laboratory