Psychiatry & Human Behavior About Us Message from the Chair Contact Us Education & Training Clerkship & Electives Residency Program Fellowship Programs Research Faculty & Labs Clinical Expertise Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Faculty Faculty & Laboratories Home Research Research: Clinical Departments Psychiatry & Human Behavior: Home Psychiatry & Human Behavior: Research Psychiatry & Human Behavior: Research > Faculty & Labs Cutting-Edge Psychiatric Research Our faculty are involved in cutting-edge research that aims to advance the prevention and treatment of a wide range of psychiatric and human behavior health conditions. View Faculty Members Explore Faculty Research Areas Schizophrenia, Bipolar and Mood Disorders Cameron S. Carter, MD The Carter Lab applies the tools and constructs of cognitive and affective neuroscience and neuroimaging to investigate the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying serious mental disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder to identify new treatment targets and interventions of treatment-refractory aspects of these illnesses, and to development imaging biomarkers that can be used to personalize care for these individuals. Projects currently underway include: A longitudinal investigation of individuals with recent onset psychosis using MRI-based measures of psychosis pathophysiology (atypical development of the prefrontal cortex, neuroinflammation, increased brain dopamine activity) and state-of-the-art deep learning to predict response to treatment following enrollment in early psychosis care. Investigating the function of brain circuitry underlying motivation and cognitive control in the brain and their relationship to measures of dopamine activity and inflammation in schizophrenia. Optimizing the application of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to activate cognitive control circuitry in the brain and investigate the neuromodulatory underpinnings of tDCS effects on the brain using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The development of cognitive biomarkers related to the signs and symptoms of psychosis and mood disorders, a multi-site effort (the CNTRACS project) that includes construct validation, task optimization (participant tolerability, psychometric properties) of novel cognitive and computational measurements for use in clinical trials and other forms of clinical and translational research. As part of a NIMH Conte Center based at UC Davis, investigating the impact of a nongenetic risk factor for psychosis (maternal immune activation) on brain development and the validation of a novel animal model system using longitudinal MRI-based imaging. The Carter Lab is currently accepting applications from postdoctoral candidates interested in applied cognitive neuroscience research, neuroimaging and data science and have a strong track record of successful mentoring and career development activities for our trainees. Julie Patterson, PhD Julie Patterson's research interests have focused on the identification of potential neurophysiological and cognitive trait markers for psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression. The EEG and evoked brain potentials derived from these markers can provide important information about the timing and strength of early sensory and later cognitive information processing. Using these measures in conjunction with neuropsychological tests of cognitive function, interviews and standard tests allowing quantification of psychiatric symptoms and measures of genetic variants can predict which patients are at highest risk for suicide, which may aid psychiatric diagnosis. Her current funded studies include the investigation of relationships between neurophysiological, cognitive and genetic variants and nicotine use in bipolar I disorder, and the genetic basis of electrical brain activity during visual information processing in fraternal and identical twins. Theo G.M. van Erp, PhD Theo G.M. van Erp directs the Clinical Translational Neuroscience Laboratory. His research program is focused on imaging and imaging genetics in psychiatric disorders. The primary aim of van Erp’s Clinical Translational Neuroscience Laboratory is to understand the mechanisms underlying psychotic and affective disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. To achieve this aim, he conducts magnetic resonance imaging, neurocognitive assessments and genetic studies. William Bunney, MD William Bunney’s major research interests involve work on the pathophysiology and treatment of the serious mental disorders of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. Key areas of research focus include: Studies on diagnosis, rapid treatment strategies and etiology Molecular, clinical, genetic and molecular and clinical markers predictive for high suicide risk The role of clock gene abnormalities in major depressive disorder, specifically the investigation of subanesthetic low-dose ketamine as a possible reset mechanism for abnormal clock genes Bunney is the senior author on a notable paper presenting the first direct evidence for clock gene abnormalities in major depressive disorder, which has been ranked in the top 98 percent of all downloads published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. His work continues to provide extensive evidence and insight into the etiology and pathophysiology of the major psychiatric disorders. Rimal Bera, MD Rimal Bera’s research interests include evaluating the latest treatments, both pharmacologic and psychosocial, in the treatment of schizophrenia and other chronic mental illnesses. For 25 years, he ran the UCI adult inpatient research unit, where clinicians developed the most efficacious treatments for schizophrenia. For the last 10 years, he has been involved in evaluating healthcare policies that lead to better outcomes and save money for healthcare systems. Firoza Mamdani, PhD Firoza Mamdani is an assistant researcher with extensive expertise in pharmacogenomics, particularly in mood disorders. Her research focuses on molecular alterations, including genetic and gene expression changes, associated with treatment responses using peripheral tissues. She has specialized knowledge in translational studies that integrate peripheral biomarker analyses with clinically obtained psychiatric patient data and post-mortem brain and neuroanatomical studies of neuropsychiatric disorders. More recently, Mamdani's work has centered on the stress response in major depression, investigating accelerated cellular aging — such as telomere shortening and mitochondrial deletions — and identifying blood-based biomarker signatures associated with suicidality. Depression Diego Pizzagalli, PhD Using a multi-modal approach spanning different levels of analyses (e.g., clinical symptoms behavior, brain) as well as studies across species, Diego Pizzagalli’s Laboratory for Affective and Translational Neuroscience is working towards a better understanding of the causes, pathophysiology and treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). Often focusing on key depressive phenotypes (e.g. anhedonia, stress responsiveness), we are pursuing three overarching goals: Improve our understanding of the neurobiology of and risk factors for depression; Harness this information to develop personalized treatments for depression in order to accelerate symptom reduction and avoid lengthy trial-and-error approaches; Identify novel treatment and prevention strategies, including in youth at increased risk for this prevalent disorder. Pedro Adolfo Sequeira Mendieta, PhD Pedro Sequeira Mendieta is an associate researcher in the UCI School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, specializing in the neurobiology and genetics of neuropsychiatric disorders. His research focuses on uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, with a particular emphasis on identifying peripheral biomarkers for suicide risk prediction and prevention. With extensive expertise in neuroanatomy and multi-omics analyses of both brain and blood, Sequeira has conducted comprehensive studies using post-mortem human tissue to identify molecular changes associated with psychiatric disorders. His contributions include a key role in developing the Allen Human Brain Atlas and extensive work with brain banks at McGill University, Douglas Hospital and UC Irvine. His current research integrates cell-type-specific gene expression, epigenomics, synaptic structural changes and targeted metabolomics to elucidate the neurobiological alterations in major depressive disorder (MDD) and suicide, aiming to advance the understanding of suicide risk and inform novel prevention strategies. Down Syndrome Christy Hom, PhD Christy Hom has current research interests in cognitive development, mental health, cognitive reserve and cognitive decline in people with Down syndrome. She has active studies looking at the relationship between inflammatory and Alzheimer's disease biomarkers and cognitive performance in children and adolescents with Down syndrome, as well as several studies examining the effects of aging, psychiatric disorders and co-occurring health conditions that affect the prevalence and onset of Alzheimer's dementia in Down syndrome. Neurodegenerative Diseases – Alzheimer’s/Dementia/Aging David Sultzer, MD The older adult population is the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population, leading to increasing numbers of people affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other neuropsychiatric conditions of aging. The UCI Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) is home to a broad range of basic and clinical research studies led by faculty in psychiatry and other departments and schools. The UCI Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND) includes the ADRC, in addition to allied research and training programs focused on cognitive aging, neurodegenerative conditions, clinical trials and cognitive neurosciences. For more information and currently active treatment studies, visit mind.uci.edu. Trainees interested in joining us for a research experience are welcome to contact faculty to discuss tailored opportunities. David Sultzer’s research focuses on Alzheimer’s disease and other neuropsychiatric conditions that affect older adults. He has particular interest in the phenomenology and pathophysiology of these disorders and uses brain imaging techniques to explore key mechanisms and prevention or treatment targets. He also studies the neuropsychiatric symptoms that are associated with neurodegenerative disorders, as either distinct symptoms of the disorder or as risk factors or clinical prodromes. He manages several Alzheimer’s disease prevention or treatment studies and leads the clinical core of the UCI Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Joshua Grill, PhD Joshua Grill conducts research geared toward improving the efficacy and ethics of dementia clinical trials. In particular, he is interested in understanding how to: More effectively recruit trial participants Select participants who are less at risk of being lost to follow-up Design studies that remain effective while requiring fewer participants Overcome the ethical challenges of dementia research, including questions regarding disclosures of diagnosis, biomarker results and genetic testing outcomes Neurodegenerative Diseases – Biology of Neurodegeneration Joan Steffan, PhD Joan Steffan’s research focuses on finding therapies for neurodegenerative diseases of aging. She is a protein chemist, molecular biologist and yeast geneticist with an expertise in the study of protein-protein interactions, post-translational modifications, neurobiology, metabolism and transcription. Steffan’s work has led her to the study of autophagy, a mechanism of protein and organelle clearance by the lysosome, and how it may decline with age, contributing to neurodegenerative disease onset. She currently studies the roles for the genes Huntingtin (mutated in Huntington’s disease) and APOE (a risk gene for Alzheimer’s disease) in selective autophagy important for maintaining brain health with aging, hoping to find therapeutic targets to treat these diseases. Neurodegenerative Diseases – Huntington’s Disease Leslie Thompson, PhD The Thompson Laboratory studies neurodegenerative diseases including Huntington’s disease (HD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and X-linked dystonia-Parkinsonism. The group is actively engaged in investigating the fundamental molecular and cellular events that underlie how the mutant HD gene causes degeneration of specific brain cell populations to induce motor and cognitive decline and premature death of patients, with the goal of developing new treatments, including stem cell-based treatments funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. The laboratory also focuses on understanding mechanisms that underlie ALS and more recently X-linked dystonia-Parkinsonism. The research benefits from the integrated use of patient stem cells and mouse models of disease, together with the studies of RNA biology, protein quality control and network-based bioinformatics. The Thompson group is involved in the OMICS core of the Answer ALS program, which is a precision medicine approach to understand sporadic ALS in over 1,000 ALS subjects. Sleep Ariel Neikrug, PhD The Behavior Activity Sleep and Education (BASE) Laboratory is focused on sleep and activity, with a keen focus on their impact on mental and physical health across various age groups. Led by Ariel Neikrug, the lab conducts cutting-edge research in three primary domains: adolescent sleep health, behavioral activity rhythms and insomnia. Neikrug, supported by internal and federal research grants, explores the intricate interplay between sleep, cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive health in adolescents. Additionally, the lab investigates the feasibility and efficacy of integrated interventions, specifically combining cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia with chronotherapy, in addressing insomnia among older adults. The lab’s research relies on both subjective and objective measures to characterize sleep and functioning. In addition to clinical assessments, validated questionnaires, computerized cognitive tasks and standardized neuropsychological testing, the team uses cutting-edge research-grade sleep medicine technology such as 128-channel, high-density electroencephalography with polysomnography and wrist-worn actigraph to monitor sleep and activity rhythms in both the laboratory and home environments. The multifaceted assessment approach utilized in the lab allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the relationships between sleep, health and functioning that may be considered as potential targets for behavioral interventions aiming to promote health. Bryce Mander, PhD Cognitive decline associated with aging and dementia represents one of the greatest public health challenges of the century. While there is currently no known cure for neurodegenerative disease, ample evidence indicates that modifiable lifestyle factors, such as sleep, may be leveraged ro reduce dementia risk. However, the mechanisms linking sleep to cognitive aging and dementia remain unclear. The lab of Bryce Mander aims to uncover the mechanistic role of sleep in cognitive decline associated with aging and neurodegenerative diseases. This work has two main areas of focus: The impact of sleep disturbance and disorders on the pathophysiology of aging and dementias, such as Alzheimer’s disease. The impact of circuit-specific pathophysiology on the local expression of sleep neurophysiology that supports cognitive functions, including sleep-dependent memory, which are known to be impacted by aging and neurodegenerative diseases. To address these knowledge gaps, the lab employs multimodal neuroimaging approaches, including structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of neurodegenerative pathology, and clinical polysomnography with high-density electroencephalography (hdEEG), to link brain pathology, structure and function with the local expression of neurophysiology across sleep and waking brain states. The research team combines these methods with 1) sensitive cognitive neuroscience methods targeting episodic and procedural memory, executive function and attention, 2) electrocardiography (ECG) measures of autonomic nervous system function and 3) plasma and salivary biomarkers of inflammation, dementia-related proteins and proteins associated with axonal and synaptic degeneration to characterize the biological mechanisms linking sleep and sleep disturbance with cognitive decline in later life. By uncovering these mechanisms, the team hopes to develop targeted, sleep-based interventions to minimize age-related cognitive decline, delay dementia onset, slow dementia progression and reduce dementia risk. Developmental Psychiatry Uma Rao, MD Uma Rao leads the UCI Biobehavioral Research on Adolescent Development (BRoAD) Lab, a collaborative team of scientists, research staff, and students from multiple disciplines at UCI. The lab’s aim is to learn more about adolescent mental and physical health, behavior and development. Current research includes study of the differences in brain development of teens with depression or a history of abuse; how social and biological stress contribute to eating patterns, activity and weight in teen girls; identifying biological, behavioral, psychological and social factors contributing to racial/ethnic differences in early vascular aging and cardiovascular health; a life skills study to learn about brain changes in response to a family-based intervention that promotes a positive future for Black and African American youth; and identifying risk and protective factors for alcohol and drug use in teens who have experienced early life adversity. Learn more about the BRoAD Lab. Pathik Wadhwa, MD, PhD Pathik Wadhwa conducts research as part of the UCI Development, Health and Disease Research Program. The program is a transdisciplinary effort to elucidate the nature and consequences of the interplay between biological, behavioral, social and environmental conditions during early human development (intrauterine and early postnatal life) on subsequent health outcomes over the lifespan, and on the propensity or susceptibility for developing one or more of the complex common disorders that collectively confer the major global burden of disease. The team’s approach, broadly informed and guided by an evolutionary-developmental perspective, seeks to address developmental processes underlying the transduction of signaling of short- and long-term energetic state-related parameters in the maternal environment (stress, nutrition) on outcomes related to fetal growth and maturation; birth phenotypes; and newborn, infant and child physical and mental health. The group’s studies focus on putative mechanisms involving maternal-placental-fetal endocrine, immune, vascular and genetic/epigenetic processes, including telomere, mitochondrial and stem cell biology.