Introducing New Faculty Members Joshua Krivinko, MD & Cecilia Westbrook, MD, PhD
The Department of Psychiatry extends a warm welcome to two new research faculty members:
Joshua Krivinko, MD (Assistant Professor of Psychiatry)
Dr. Krivinko received his MD from the University of Pittsburgh in the Physician Scientist Training Program. He completed psychiatry residency training at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital in the Psychiatry Research Pathway, then completed a clinical fellowship in consultation-liaison psychiatry, serving as Chief Resident of Fellows. Dr. Krivinko undertook postdoctoral research training in the Department’s National Institutes of Health-funded T32 programs in clinical and translational research training in geriatric mental health, and in training for transformative discovery in psychiatry.
Dr. Krivinko’s research interests include investigating novel pharmacotherapies that target synapse dysfunction during aging and promote resilience to cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease. In the laboratory of Robert Sweet, MD (UPMC Endowed Professor in Psychiatric Neuroscience and Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology), he will contribute to studies examining how synapse dysfunction contributes to two psychosis in schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Krivinko receives grant support from the Clear Thoughts Foundation, a Clinical Scientist Fellowship Award from the Alzheimer’s Association, and Pitt Psychiatry’s Healthy Brain Aging Fund.
Cecilia Westbrook, MD, PhD (Assistant Professor of Psychiatry)
Dr. Westbrook earned her MD and her PhD in psychology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She completed psychiatry residency training at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital in the Psychiatry Research Pathway—serving as PRP Chief Resident—then completed a clinical fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry. Dr. Westbrook then completed postdoctoral research training investigating mechanisms contributing to development of depression and anxiety disorders in adolescents.
Dr. Westbrook is principal investigator of a National Institute on Mental Health-funded K23 career development award examining the neural substrates of perseverative thought disengagement and reward leaning early adolescence, with a focus on the role of puberty and implications for anxiety and depression symptoms.
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Krivinko and Dr. Westbrook to the faculty!