Arthur Barsky, M.D.

Hypochondriasis, somatization, and psychological influences on somatic symptom reporting

Dr. Barsky’s work has focused on hypochondriasis, somatization, and psychological influences on somatic symptom reporting in the medically ill.  His descriptive and empirical studies of hypochondriacal patients in ambulatory medical practice led to the formulation of somatosensory amplification as a pathogenic mechanism in the formation of hypochondriacal complaints. 

Mark Bauer, M.D.

Bipolar disorder, structured treatment modalities for bipolar patients

Bill Beardslee, M.D.

Development of children at risk because of severe parental mental illness.

Dr. Beardslee’s research focuses on depression in children. He is principal investigator of a long-term study that he and several colleagues first embarked upon in 1979 studying the lives of 275 children from 143 families in which the parents had depression or several risk factors for depression.

Susan Block, M.D.

Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care

Dr. Block’s research seeks to understand the status of palliative care education, physicians' attitudes and practices in relation to end-of-life care, and their experiences in caring for patients who die in order to develop new ways to improve physician education and patient care.

Jon Borus, M.D.

Residency, medical student, post-graduate medical education

Grace Chang, M.D., MPH

Identification and treatment of alcohol problems, abuse and addiction in general medicine, emergency departments, and obstetric practice

Dr. Chang has a longstanding interest in the identification and treatment of alcohol problems, abuse and addiction in general medicine, emergency departments, and obstetric practice.  Dr. Chang’s second area of research is in the psychiatric aspects of bone marrow transplantation.

David DeMaso, M.D.

Responses of children and their families to the psychological stresses associated with chronic illness

Dr. DeMaso’s clinical research focuses on the responses of children and their families to the psychological stresses associated with chronic illness, especially cardiac disease. He also investigates and assesses issues in the practice of pediatric medicine, such as those surrounding support staff, care of children in ICU and other difficult situations, and in the uses of newer technologies to communicate with families

Chandlee Dickey, M.D.

Neuroimaging and the relationship between brain and behavior in neuropsychiatric disease

Dr. Dickey’s research has focused on the use of structural MRI in schizotypal personality disorder, where she has found a diffuse pattern of abnormalities that are similar to those seen in schizophrenia.  Her most recent work uses functional MRI to investigate language processing and facial expression recognition in schizotypal personality disorder patients. 

Eric Drogan, J.D., Ph.D., ABPP

Forensic Psychology

Anthony Giuliano, Ph.D.

Early Intervention for Youth at Risk of Psychosis

Dr. Giuliano’s clinical and research work focuses on early identification of and intervention with youth at risk for psychosis. He is a clinical psychologist who specializes in pediatric neuropsychology, and provides regular consultation to numerous state agencies and schools.

Bob Goisman, M.D.

Psychosocial rehabilitation, anxiety disorders, and cognitive-behavioral therapy

Jill Goldstein, Ph.D.

Sex differences in the brain and psychiatric disorders

Dr. Goldstein’s research has focused on sex differences in the normal brain and how this may help us understand sex differences in psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and mood disorders.

Tom Gutheil, M.D.

Forensic psychiatry

Daniel Herrera

Child developmental psychopathology

Child language development, bilingual and bicultural influences on development

Alan Jacobson, M.D.

Diabetes and psychology

Dr. Jacobson has investigated issues that lie at the interface between diabetes and psychology: the influence of diabetes on brain structure and functioning, the quality of life and personal growth of patients and their families, and the impact of psychological and social factors on diabetes outcomes.

David Jimerson, M.D.

Psychosocial and psychobiological factors contributing to bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, binge eating disorder and related disorders

Dr. Jimerson's research is directed toward a greater understanding of psychosocial and psychobiological factors contributing to illness onset, symptom perpetuation, recovery, and treatment non-response in patients with eating disorders. Current investigations focus on the role of decreased CNS serotonin function in binge eating behaviors, mood dysregulation and incomplete response to treatment.

Matcheri Keshavan, M.D.

Neuroimaging and schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, and developmental neuropsychiatric disorders

Dr. Keshavan’s neuroimaging research interests are focused on the structural, functional and neurochemical bases of severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and other developmental neuropsychiatric disorders. Clinical research interests include early intervention in schizophrenia, especially as it pertains to the premorbid and prodromal phases of this illness.

Bernat Kocsis, M.D.

Sleep medicine and neurophysiology

The central focus of Dr. Kocsis’s research is the subcortical regulation of hippocampal function and is guided by the general hypothesis that the role of this regulation is to build dynamic associations between several limbic structures that are synchronized by oscillatory population activity.

Bob McCarley, M.D.

Sleep and Dreaming/Schizophrenia and Neuroimaging

Raquelle Mesholam-Gately, Ph.D.

Symptom patterns in schizophrenia

Enrico Mezzacappa, M.D.

Development of

aggressive behaviors and executive function

Dr. Mezzacappa’s research examines the interaction of social factors and executive function in the development of aggressive behaviors. The areas of investigation involved in this research include assessment of growth and change in executive function, and how the development of executive function is shaped by the home environment and parenting practices.

Greg Miller, Ph.D.

Genetics and Neurobiology of Substance Abuse

The overall focus of Dr. Miller’s research encompasses multifaceted aspects of the biology of neuropsychiatric and drug addiction disorders. The research is multidisciplinary, highly collaborative, and utilizes biochemical, molecular, cellular, behavioral and genetic approaches.

John Mooney, M.D.

Neurotransmitters, mechanisms of action of psychotropic medications

Dr. Mooney is completing studies on the

receptor-G protein-adenylate cyclase complex

in blood cells before and during treatment of 

depressive disorders with antidepressant medications. He is also collaborating on studies involving the Affective Disorders Consult Service.

John Peteet, M.D.

Psycho-oncology, addictions psychiatry

Dr. Peteet’s current research focuses on the development of a questionnaire for identifying the existential concerns of oncology patients in order to improve their care. He has conducted focus groups, as well as cognitive and pilot testing of questions designed to identify concerns in the domains of personal identity, daily functioning, control, relationships, hope, meaning and mortality, as well as those about coping and use of spiritual and religious resources.

Holly Prigerson, Ph.D.

Bereavement, cancer patients, end-of-life care

Dr. Prigerson’s research focuses on factors that affect the quality of life and care of cancer patients and their family caregivers. A major focus of her research has been on the mental health of bereaved cancer patient caregivers.

Patricia Rieker, M.D.

Gender and other social determinants of population health

Dr. Rieker’s research centers on the social and biological determinants of gender differences in physical and mental health.

Jim Rodrigue, Ph.D.

Behavioral health and transplantation

This behavioral health research program represents a collaboration between the Department of Psychiatry and the BIDMC Transplant Center. Research in the program has four primary aims: (1) identification of the psychological and behavioral health sequelae associated with solid organ transplantation, (2) examination of the relationship between behavioral health variables and primary transplant outcomes (e.g., morbidity, mortality), (3) development, implementation, and evaluation of psychological and behavioral health interventions designed to enhance primary transplant outcomes (e.g., patient and graft survival, quality of life, patient-centered outcomes), and (4) identification of factors influencing organ donation decisions and the evaluation of interventions to increase rates of both living and deceased organ donation.

James Rowlett, Ph.D.

Anxiety and Sleep Disorders/Substance Abuse

Dr. Rowlett is investigating the behavioral and neurobiological effects of drugs used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders, as well as drugs that are commonly abused. The overall goal of this research is to develop medications for treating these disorders that have improved therapeutic potential, yet lack significant side effects.

Carl Salzman, M.D.

Psychopharmacology and Affective/Anxiety Disorders in the elderly

Dr. Salzman’s research is focused directly on the use of antidepressants in selected populations, with special reference to the elderly. One particular focus of the research program is a collaborative effort studying the diagnosis and treatment of depression and dysphoric states in the very elderly.

Glenn Saxe, M.D.

Psychological consequences of traumatic events in children

Dr. Saxe’s primary research and clinical interests are the psychological consequences of traumatic events in children. He is currently Principal Investigator on a five-year, NIMH-funded, longitudinal study of Acute Stress Disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder in injured children and has completed another five year NIMH-funded study of risk factors for PTSD in burned children.

Russell Schutt, Ph.D.

Relationship between individuals and the social environment

Dr. Schutt’s research investigates the relationship between individuals and the social environment, with a particular focus on people with housing, medical and/or legal problems, on the organizations that respond to their needs, and on the role of social processes in influencing their outcomes. 

Larry Seidman, Ph.D.

Etiology and pathophysiology of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Schizophrenia

Dr. Seidman’s research also includes clarifying the biology of schizotypal personality disorder and its evolution into psychosis. He also studies the etiology and pathophysiology of ADHD and schizophrenia.

Martha Shenton, Ph.D.

Neuroimaging in Schizophrenia and Schizophrenia-related disorders

Dr. Shenton’s interests include neuroimaging studies in schizophrenia and schizophrenia related disorders. She has also been involved in neuroimaging studies of post-traumatic stress disorder. More recently she is working with collaborators in Portugal on a project investigating brain abnormalities in William's Syndrome patients.

David Silbersweig, M.D.

Functional neuroimaging research and psychiatric disorders

Dr. Silbersweig’s research focuses on the development and application of new neuroimaging techniques to localize and characterize brain circuitry dysfunction underlying major psychiatric disorders.

Liz Simpson, M.D.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Dr. Simpson’s work focuses on partial hospital, outpatient, and residential Dialectical Behavior Therapy services to chronically mentally ill people with borderline personality disorder.

Warner Slack, M.D.

Use of computers in medicine

Over the past 40 years, Dr. Slack has focused his research on the use of computers to improve communication in the field of medicine and to empower both patients and doctors for better health care.

Roger Spealman, Ph.D.

Neurobiology and neuropharmacology of substance abuse

Dr. Spealman is investigating the neurobiological basis of cocaine, heroin and sedative addiction using advanced primate behavioral models in conjunction with neuropharmacological and physiological approaches. The goal of this research is to develop improved pharmacotherapies to treat drug addiction and prevent relapse.

Bob Stickgold, Ph.D.

Sleep in memory and emotional processing

Dr. Stickgold’s research seeks to describe the nature of cognition during sleep, and to explain the role of sleep in memory and emotional processing. His studies of sleep and memory have provided definitive evidence demonstrating the importance of sleep in learning and memory consolidation.

Bill Stone, Ph.D.

Schizophrenia, Neuropsychology, Memory and Executive Function

George Vaillant, M.D.

Adult Development, Alcoholism, Spirituality

Dr. Vaillant’s work has focused on a 68-year study of adult lifespan development, with particular focus on defense mechanisms, the natural history of alcoholism, and the psychological determinants of healthy aging.

Russ Vasile, M.D.

Assessment and treatment of depression and anxiety disorders

Dr. Vasile’s research has included topics such as the psychopharmacologic management of depression and anxiety disorders, biopsychosocial approaches to affective disorders consultation, and the use of brain imaging in the assessment of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Robert J. Waldinger, M.D.

Psychological functioning in interpersonal relationships

Dr. Waldinger’s main focus of research has been the study of adult lives, and how earlier life experience is related to emotional well-being, physical health, and interpersonal functioning. Two projects are the primary foci of his work: the Study of Adult Development (a 68-year longitudinal study of adult life) and the Close Relationships Project (a study of couples with histories of domestic violence and child abuse). His most recent focus is on the social neuroscience of aging.

Barbara Wolfe, Ph.D.

Psychobiology of eating disorders

Dr. Wolfe’s research focuses on the psychobiology of eating disorders; in particular, on the relationship between neurotransmitter functioning and mood, impulsivity, and eating behavior.

David Wolfe, Ph.D.

Wilson Woo, M.D., Ph.D.

Neurobiology of psychosis

This laboratory is interested in understanding how specific classes of inhibitory local circuit neurons in the cerebral cortex, which regulate distinct aspects of information processing, are involved in the pathophysiology of psychotic disorders, utilizing a variety of cellular, molecular, genetic, and genomic techniques. The laboratory is also part of a Harvard-wide NIH-funded Schizophrenia Research Center of which a major focus is to try to understand how inhibitory neuronal dysfunction may play a role in triggering the onset and disease progression during the early course of schizophrenia. Previous work in this laboratory has informed the conceptualization of clinical trials that test novel therapeutic hypotheses.