On June 19, 2024, more than 100 members of the Department of Psychiatry and UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital community gathered for a screening of the film, Freedom House Ambulance: The First Responders, and a discussion with the filmmaker and invited guests from Freedom House. David Lewis, MD (Chair, Department of Psychiatry) opened the event, noting “Juneteenth is an important holiday to remember and reflect...

We are pleased to announce that Stephanie Stepp, PhD, has been promoted to Professor of Psychiatry by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Stepp received her PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Missouri. She joined the University of Pittsburgh Department of Psychiatry and UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital (WPH) as a clinical psychology intern, then undertook postgraduate research...

We are pleased to announce that Neil Jones, PhD, has been promoted to Associate Professor of Psychiatry by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Jones earned his PhD in clinical psychology from Duke University, having completed a clinical psychology internship at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital. Dr. Jones remained in Pittsburgh as a postdoctoral scholar in Pitt Psychiatry’s National Institute of...

A cohort of early-career clinician-educator faculty members recently achieved a professional milestone, graduation from the Clinician-Educator Faculty Development Program (CEFDP). The CEFDP, directed by Gina Perez, MD (Associate Professor of Psychiatry), is a Department of Psychiatry professional development opportunity for early-career clinician-educators, specially designed to enhance clinical and academic skills...

Pitt Psychiatry extends a warm welcome to new faculty member Christine Call, PhD (Assistant Professor of Psychiatry). Dr. Call earned her PhD in clinical psychology from Drexel University, having completed her clinical internship at the American Psychological Association (APA)-accredited UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital Clinical Psychology Internship program. Dr. Call then remained at the University of Pittsburgh...

Recent senior-author studies led by Thomas Karikari, PhD (Assistant Professor of Psychiatry), highlight advances in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease using blood biomarkers. Dr. Karikari’s research aims to further understand the molecular and biochemical basis of pathological brain changes that occur in Alzheimer’s patients, and to apply this knowledge to develop new biofluid-based diagnostic tools for clinical...

Circadian rhythms are critical for human health and are highly conserved across species, controlling physiological processes and behavior across the light/dark cycle. In addition to regulating basic physiological processes and brain function, disrupted circadian genes are linked to altered mood and substance use vulnerability. Circadian genes modulate behavior through specific cell types in the nucleus accumbens...

Congratulations to Cynthia Felix, MD, MPH, and Shalini Sivathasan, PhD, who received Best Poster Presentation Awards at the University of Pittsburgh Postdoctoral Association 2024 Postdoctoral Data & Dine Symposium. Dr. Felix is a postdoctoral associate focusing on advanced Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers in the lab of Tharick Pascoal, MD, PhD (Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology). Her award-winning...

The Services for Teens at Risk (STAR)-Center is a nationally recognized suicide prevention program that combines clinical and outreach services designed to combat the problem of child and adolescent suicide. The STAR-Center provides outpatient assessment and treatment for depressed and anxious children and teens, and offers acute treatment to depressed and suicidal youth through the Center’s intensive outpatient...

The 2024 Society of Biological Psychiatry (SOBP) Annual Meeting was held in Austin, TX. Pitt Psychiatry faculty and trainees gathered for a program that explored whether the translational medicine approach is living up to its promise in psychiatry. The conference additionally presented the opportunity to network and meet up with Pitt Psychiatry friends and alums! Gold Medal Award Mary Phillips, MD, MD (Cantab)...