The Department of Psychiatry and UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital (WPH) welcomed over 150 clinician educators, trainees and staff to WPSY on October 11, 2018 for the Seventh Annual Clinician Educator Showcase. The Showcase kicked off with a luncheon and interactive poster session that provided plenty of networking opportunities. Two members of our faculty were recognized for their outstanding service and many...

Congratulations to Roger Haskett, MD on his recent receipt of a Lifetime Achievement Award for Academic Psychiatry from the Pittsburgh Psychiatric Society, The Society presented the award to Dr. Haskett in recognition of his significant contributions to the field of academic psychiatry and to the organization. Dr. Haskett began his career at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine as a Professor of...

With a shared passion for fighting mental health stigma, two Department of Psychiatry neuroscientists decided that they wanted to do something beyond their research that could have a more immediate impact on those suffering from mental illness. Drs. Lizzie Manning and Micah Shelton, researchers from the Translational Neuroscience Program, organized an exhibit of artwork created by Pittsburgh brain researchers and...

A new study by Rebecca Thurston, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry, Clinical and Translational Science, Epidemiology and Psychology suggests that experiences of sexual harassment and sexual assault could have a significant impact on the physical and mental health of midlife women. Study results, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, also will be presented by Dr. Thurston at the North American Menopause Society meeting on...

Medical students have higher rates of depression, suicidal ideation, and burnout than the general population and greater concerns about the stigma of mental illness. The nature of medical education seems to contribute to this disparity, since students entering medical school score better on indicators of mental health than similarly aged college graduates. In a recent New England Journal of Medicine article by...

Sleep and circadian rhythms, the 24-hour cycles of the body’s physiological processes, are important components of health. Likewise, disruptions in these systems are linked to a number of health conditions, including substance abuse. The developmental changes in sleep and circadian rhythms that occur during adolescence leave teenagers particularly vulnerable to addiction. A review recently published in the journal...

Susanne Ahmari, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, has been recognized by the One Mind organization for her groundbreaking research exploring the mechanisms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). The honors were announced at the Scientific Symposium at the 24th Music Festival for Brain Health that took place September 15th in Rutherford, California. Dr. Ahmari was presented with the One Mind Rising Star...

The Graduate School of Public Health and the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh have launched a new T32 pre- and postdoctoral training program in Population Neuroscience of Aging & Alzheimer’s Disease funded by the National Institute on Aging. The program is codirected by Drs. Caterina Rosano, Professor of Epidemiology, and Mary Ganguli, MD, Professor of Psychiatry, Epidemiology, and Neurology...

The Department of Psychiatry is mourning the recent passing of esteemed colleague James Perel, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Pharmacology. Dr. Perel was a gifted scientist and teacher who was devoted to advancing pharmacologic treatments for psychiatric disorders and training the next generation of clinician educators and academic scientists. Dr. Perel held academic appointments at New York University...

Front Row: Michele Levine, PhD (Co-Director), Andrea Wieckowski, Caroline Hoyniak, Karen Jakubowski Back Row: Elizabeth Fyne (Administrator), Katherine Foster, Kathryn Fox, and Tina Goldstein, PhD (Co-Director) The Clinical Psychology Internship program has welcomed a new class of talented students from across the country to Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. This year, more than 3,100 applicants were...