How can a better understanding of heightened attention bias to threat help the development of interventions to treat anxiety? In general, individuals with anxiety disorders give greater initial attention to perceived threats, with some maintaining negative attention bias during sustained exposure to threatening stimuli. These temporal stages of attention bias may exert unique influences on anxious vigilance...

We are delighted to welcome the newest members of our highly competitive Clinical Psychology Internship program! Tina Goldstein, PhD, and Michele Levine, PhD, co-lead the program, which is accredited by the American Psychological Association. The yearlong experience adheres to a clinical science model of training and professional development, emphasizing research and clinical training integration, as well as a...

We are thrilled to announce that Tina Goldstein, PhD, has been appointed Tenured Associate Professor of Psychiatry by the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Goldstein has long dedicated herself to research on youth with bipolar disorder and suicidality. She is an expert in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and published the first study to show improvements in youth suicidality with this treatment. Her current research...

Every fall, Department of Psychiatry faculty, trainees, and staff look forward to the Mindscapes art exhibition. Usually held at a Pittsburgh arts space, Mindscapes is an annual event featuring art pertaining to mental illness, created by both scientists and those living with mental illness, expressively exploring both the lived experience and scientific research. This year, Mindscapes is happening online (through...

The Department of Psychiatry is pleased to announce the promotion of Leonardo D’Aiuto, PhD, to Research Assistant Professor of Psychiatry. Dr. D’Aiuto’s area of expertise is neurotropic viruses, focusing on novel approaches for the generation of three-dimensional neuronal cultures from human-induced pluripotent stem cells to as a model system for exploring the relationship between central nervous system neurotropic...

Are individuals who experience childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at greater risk for co-occurring problematic alcohol use and depressive symptoms in adulthood? In a recent study, researchers including Pitt Psychiatry investigators Frances Wang, PhD, Sarah Pedersen, PhD, Bernie Devlin, PhD, and Brooke Molina, PhD, examined heterogeneity among those with childhood ADHD that could be associated...

Psychiatry residents at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital (WPH) who are interested in conducting research to better understand the neural underpinnings of mental illness can participate in the robust and rewarding Psychiatry Research Pathway (PRP) program. Below, meet a few of our “PRP-ers.” Shinnyi (Cindy) Chou, MD, PhD (PGY4) is PRP Chief Resident. Dr. Chou’s research focuses on the association between...

At Pitt Psychiatry, our faculty members conduct cutting-edge research on topics related to suicide across the lifespan. In recognition of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, we offer a look at ongoing suicide research pertaining to children and adolescents, LGBT youth, and older adult populations. In addition, our scientists investigate topics including decision-making in suicide, the neurobiology of suicide, and...

We are delighted to announce that Fabio Ferrarelli, MD, PhD, has been promoted to Associate Professor of Psychiatry by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Ferrarelli has devoted his career to identifying disease biomarkers, focusing on the relationship of sleep electrophysiological signatures to schizophrenia. He uses state-of-the-art technology such as magnetic resonance imaging, transcranial...

The Department of Psychiatry is pleased to announce the promotion of Finn Calabro, PhD, to Research Assistant Professor of Psychiatry. Dr. Calabro’s research focuses on applying quantitative methodological approaches to characterize both the adaptive and maladaptive ways in which brain mechanisms evolve through adolescence. He employs computational behavioral modeling and advance neuroimaging analyses to...