APR Group
The Anesthesia Psychiatry Research (APR) group is a multidisciplinary, interdepartmental collaboration. It combines exceptional clinicians and scientists who have an overriding commitment to improve the treatment of depression, pain, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Autism Research
Our research is critical to understanding the causes of autism and, ultimately, to developing successful treatments for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). By studying genetics, biomarkers, epidemiology, and brain imaging we are learning more about what is happening biologically in children and adults who have autism.
Diagnostic Neuroimaging
Our research team proposes to treat mood disorders and depression in Utah with nutritional supplements to increase good energy levels in the brain. We use brain scans to look at brain chemistry to give researchers a better understanding of mood disorders.
MACA Lab
At the Mood and Cognition in Aging (MACA) Lab, our research attempts to comprehend the experiences of those suffering from memory and mood changes later in life as well as that of the support person using multiple kinds of measurement (self-report, cognitive testing, neuroimaging). Results from our studies will lead to more accurate assessments, the specification of subtypes in these complex illnesses, and better targeting of preventive and treatment strategies. Further, we hope to facilitate preventive efforts and treatment strategies of caregiver burnout among support persons.
MEND2 Lab
The Multifaceted Explorations of the Neurobiology of Depressive Disorders (MEND2) laboratory uses biopsychosocial tools, including neuroimaging, performance, self- and other-report, and blood and saliva assays in mood disorders. We use these tools to identify biomarkers inform precision medicine, including diagnosis, risk, treatment selection, treatment effectiveness, and course modification.
Mickey Lab
We aim to understand the neurobiological causes of depression and related diseases, to discern the mechanisms of effective antidepressant interventions, and to develop novel therapies for treatment-resistant depression.
NERD Lab
At the Neuroscience of Emotion Regulation and Dysregulation (NERD) laboratory, we investigate the brain-behavior relationship of emotion regulation to identify and develop novel intervention targets and effective neurotherapies. We use behavioral, physiological, and neuroimaging measures as well as non-invasive brain stimulation techniques such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
Non-Invasive Neurostimulation Program
The Non-Invasive Neurostimulation Program is a collaborative effort between the Department of Psychiatry and the Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute (SCI).
Occupational Trauma Program
The OTP specializes in assessment and therapeutic care for individuals exposed to traumatic events. The OTP was founded as a service for individuals who experience trauma as an occupational hazard (firefighters, law enforcement, first responders, NICU nurses, ER physicians, oncology).
Psychiatric Genomics Lab
The Psychiatric Genomics Laboratory (PG Lab) is a data science workshop focused on enhancing the prediction and prevention of multiple psychiatric disorders. We examine genetic and environmental contributions to psychiatric illness, and study the interplay of psychiatric and medical conditions.
SMILe Lab
At the Social Motivation and Imaging Laboratory (SMILe), we use advanced imaging technologies like functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the reward system and determine how factors like genetics, personality, the social environment, and disease can influence how the brain processes rewards.
Suicide Genetics
Studying the genetics of suicide is a daunting task. As opposed to genetically simple illnesses, such as Huntington’s disease, suicide is very heterogeneous. Most individuals who commit suicide struggle with mental illness. However, most individuals with mental illness do not commit suicide, which suggests that additional specific risk factors, some of which may be genetic, probably exist.
URADD
The Utah Registry of Autism and Developmental Disabilities (URADD) uses a passive, population-based system to determine the number and characteristics of persons in Utah with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities (DD).