Pitt Psychiatry News from the American College of Neuropsychology Annual Meeting
Many University of Pittsburgh Psychiatry faculty and trainees attended the recent American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) annal meeting to learn about and present new research and to connect with colleagues.
Below is a recap of Pitt Psychiatry News from the meeting:
ACNP Council
Susanne Ahmari, MD, PhD (Associate Professor of Psychiatry), was elected to a three-year term on the ACNP Council. Dr. Ahmari is an expert in on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Her research focuses on developing and applying cutting-edge technologies to uncover neural mechanisms that can be leveraged to develop new treatments for OCD, which has additional potential for addressing compulsive behaviors in conditions including autism, substance use disorders, and neurodegenerative disease.
Membership
Danella Hafeman, MD, PhD (Associate Professor of Psychiatry), was elected to ACNP Member status. Dr. Hafeman is a clinical expert in pediatric mood disorders and her research focuses on the prediction of bipolar disorder in offspring of parents with bipolar disorder.
Max Joffe, PhD (Assistant Professor of Psychiatry), and Adriane Soehner, PhD (Associate Professor of Psychiatry), were elected to Associate Member status.
Dr. Joffe’s research focuses on elucidating the relationship between prefrontal cortex functions and behaviors related to alcohol and substance use disorders, focusing on how G protein-coupled receptors—particularly metabotropic glutamate receptors—modulate distinct subtypes of prefrontal cortex neurons.
Dr. Soehner is a clinical psychologist who uses a developmental affective neuroscience approach to understand the role of sleep-circadian processes in the onset, course, and treatment of mood dysregulation in young people (children, adolescents, and young adults).
Travel Award
Kevin Dowling, BA, received an ACNP Travel Award. He is enrolled in the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) and is currently working toward his MD and a PhD in neuroscience.
Congratulations to all!