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Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) poses a significant challenge for individuals battling persistent depressive symptoms.

Despite multiple trials of traditional antidepressant medications, up to 40 percent of patients fail to achieve remission.

However, a ray of hope has emerged in the form of esketamine, a novel treatment that has garnered attention for its unique mechanism of action and promising results in cases of TRD.

Shinichi Kano, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, has been named 2023 Allen Distinguished Investigator for his research study titled "Blood-brain barrier communication via extracellular vesicles underlying brain function and behavior." 

The UAB Department of Psychiatry is proud to introduce the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Interest Group (CAPIG), a dynamic new student organization that aims to shape the future of psychiatry training.

CAPIG is committed to fostering professional development, cultivating a pipeline program and interest in child and adolescent psychiatry, and building connections among students, residents, fellows, and faculty mentors.

Kirsten Schoonover, Ph.D., has been approved for a 2023 NARSAD Young Investigator Grant for her study, "Zinc-Mediated Hypoactivity Of Layer 3 Pyramidal Neurons In Postmortem Schizophrenia Tissue: Implications For Working Memory."

Karen Cropsey, Psy.D. (left) and Karen Gamble, Ph.D. (right)

Karen Cropsey, Psy.D., and Karen Gamble, Ph.D., professors in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, have received a new grant totaling $4.4 million over a 4-year period to support their study “Medications for opioid use disorder differentially modulate intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell function, sleep, and circadian rhythms: implications for treatment.”

World Mental Health Day is observed on Oct. 10 each year, dedicated to raising awareness about mental health issues worldwide.

This day serves as a reminder that our mental well-being is just as important as our physical health, and it calls upon individuals, communities, and nations to take collective action to address the mental health needs of our global population.

Adrienne Lahti, M.D., Yogesh Dwivedi, Ph.D. Adrienne Lahti, M.D., Heman E. Drummond Professor and Chair in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, as well as Co-Director of the Alabama Advanced Imaging Consortium, along with Yogesh Dwivedi, Ph.D., Elesabeth Ridgely Shook Professor and Director of the Division of Behavioral Neurobiology, have been awarded the T32 grant titled "Predoctoral Training in a Multifaceted Translational Approach to Mental Illness (AMI)."

Substance abuse and addiction are pressing issues that affect individuals and communities worldwide.To combat these challenges, the Department of Psychiatry has undertaken remarkable efforts to raise awareness, provide support, and conduct research.

Let's explore some of the noteworthy initiatives aimed at addressing substance abuse and addiction.

S. Justin Thomas, Ph.D., DBSM, FSBSM, assistant professor in the department of Psychiatry, has been elected as the 2024 President of the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine (SBSM). His extensive qualifications include being board-certified in behavioral sleep medicine (DBSM) and holding the position of Director of the UAB Behavioral Sleep Medicine Clinic and Training Program.

Michael A. Owens, Ph.D., graduated with a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Anthropology, and Spanish from the University of Alabama in 2010 and went on to earn his Ph.D. in Clinical/Medical Psychology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2020.

Kirsten E. Schoonover, Ph.D., joins UAB Psychiatry as an assistant professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s School of Medicine and associate director of the Alabama Brain Bank.

Every year, Suicide Prevention Month serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of fostering mental health and reaching out to those in need.

The month of September is dedicated to raising awareness about suicide prevention and providing support to individuals who have lived experiences of suicide, suicide attempt survivors, and individuals who have experienced a suicide death loss.

In a remarkable event this July, the UAB Psychiatry Education Awards Ceremony put a spotlight on the exceptional residents, fellows, and teaching faculty within the field of psychiatry. This annual ceremony served as a platform to honor their remarkable contributions and dedication.

The ceremony recognized the excellence displayed by residents who have demonstrated exceptional clinical skills, research accomplishments, and patient care. Their ability to blend theoretical knowledge with practical application has set new standards in the field.

Do you feel disappointed as the weekend ends, knowing that your precious "me time" is slipping away? You may be experiencing what most describe as “Monday Blues” or “Sunday Scaries.”

The UAB communications team sat with Matthew Macaluso, D.O., Bee McWane Reid Professor and Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, to share valuable advice on alleviating the anxiety often associated with Monday Blues or Sunday Scaries.

As the end of summer break draws near, it can cause increased student stress and anxiety. The upcoming changes in routine, academic pressure, and social dynamics that come with starting a new school year can create unease and anticipation for students during this transition period.

The UAB communications team interviewed Maggie Canter, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, to share valuable tips to help reduce the stress associated with the back-to-school period.

S. Justin Thomas, Ph.D., FSBSM, assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program, and co-director of Sleep and Circadian Research Core (SCRC), was awarded a $2.8 million RO1 research grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health.

Karen Cropsey, Psy.D.
Vice Chair of Clinical Research

Dr. Karen Cropsey, Professor, has been selected as the new Vice Chair of Clinical Research for the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology after serving as the Interim Vice Chair for Research Training and Faculty Development.  Since joining the department in 2007, Dr. Cropsey has dedicated herself to being a leader and representative for the department in the clinical research field.  Her clinical research interests include developing treatment interventions for patients with substance abuse disorders, with a particular focus on smoking cessation and opioid treatment interventions in underserved populations.

Tiffany Nowell, Ph.D.
Director of Psychology Internship Training

Dr. Tiffany Nowell, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry has been selected as the new Training Director of the UAB-BVAMC Psychology Internship Consortium. Since joining the Department less than two years ago, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to clinical training providing therapy supervision to psychology interns, graduate students and residents.

Dr. Nowell currently serves as a clinician providing outpatient psychotherapy and assessment services. Her experience with the LGBTQ population has been integral to the expansion of access for those patients as well as partnerships within UAB primary care clinics and select inpatient programs. Dr. Nowell received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 2015 from Saint Louis University School of Medicine followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Prior to joining UAB Psychiatry, Dr. Nowell served as a Staff Psychologist at the University of Denver Health and Counseling Center.

Adrienne Lahti, M.D.
Director of the Comprehensive Neuroscience Center

Dr. Adrienne Lahti, the F. Cleveland Kinney Endowed Chair Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, has been selected as Director of the Comprehensive Neuroscience Center (CNC). Since joining UAB Psychiatry in 2006, Dr. Lahti has been an active participant in the programs and activities of the CNC. For the past several years, she has served as a member of the CNC Faculty Advisory Committee and was instrumental in helping the CNC establish the Alabama Advanced Imaging Consortium.

Dr. Lahti is currently a tenured professor and Vice Chair for Research Training and Faculty Development in Psychiatry. A seasoned clinician-leader she recognized for establishing the first clinic in Alabama to focus on first episode psychosis for patients from their late teens to early adulthood. Dr. Lahti also leads the Neuroimaging and Translational Research Laboratory dedicated to the study of schizophrenia using multimodal brain imaging techniques. In addition to her research and leadership roles, she is an active clinician, providing psychiatric care to patients with late life schizophrenia at the UAB Community Psychiatry Program.

Soumya Sivaraman, M.D.
Director of Electroconvulsive Therapy Services

The Department of Psychiatry is pleased to announce that Dr. Soumya Sivaraman, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry has been selected to serve as the new Director of Electroconvulsive Therapy Services. Since joining UAB Psychiatry, Dr. Sivaraman has expanded ECT services to an operational level that hasn’t been seen since 1999. Her extensive training in ECT and knowledge of best practices has been vital to improving operational standards for efficient, patient-centered provision of ECT services and related quality projects. In addition to overseeing ECT operations, Dr. Sivaraman will continue teaching and mentoring trainees on this important, life-saving procedure.

Dr. Sivaraman completed her medical training at Coimbatore Medical College and National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in India. She completed her residency in General Psychiatry at UAB in 2017 before joining the department as Assistant Professor.

James T. Cullinan, D.O.
Interim Division Director for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Dr. James Cullinan, Associate Professor in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry has been appointed as Interim Division Director for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Cullinan currently serves as Director of UAB Child Psychiatry Clinical Services as well as Training Director of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Program.  In addition to his leadership roles, Dr. Cullinan is an active clinician, providing inpatient and outpatient psychiatric care to children and adolescents both at UAB and Children’s Hospital of Alabama.

Dr. Cullinan graduated from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1995. He went on to complete his residency at SUNY Stony Brook in General Psychiatry followed by a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. In 2001, he joined UAB Psychiatry as an Assistant Professor, and in 2010 was promoted to Associate Professor.

The UAB Department of Psychiatry is pleased to announce that Yesie Yoon, M.D., Assistant Professor in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, has been appointed as the Director of Child Psychiatry Consultation-Liaison and Integrated Care Services for the Department of Psychiatry. In this role, she will continue developing integrated care clinics in the Child Psychiatry Division and will continue to hold key roles vital to patient care and training missions in the Department.

Dr. Yoon joined UAB in 2016, where she has worked on inpatient medical units across UAB and Children’s of Alabama with physicians, nurses, and families to provide evidence-based clinical care. Her efforts to optimize service provision include creation of the Outpatient Psychopharmacology Consultation Clinic (OPCC) at Children’s Behavioral Health where she works in collaboration with primary care providers to provide recommendations on diagnosis, medication and outpatient treatment options. “Since joining UAB, Dr. Yoon has drawn upon her many skillsets to enhance the presence and reputation of the Psychiatry Consult service,” said Dr. Meador-Woodruff, Heman E. Drummond Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry.

Dr. Yoon received her M.D. from Yonsei University College of Medicine, and completed her residency training at Cincinnati Children's Hospital and University of Cincinnati in Pediatrics, Adult Psychiatry, and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.  She served as chief resident in 2015-2016 before joining UAB as Assistant Professor in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry with a secondary appointment in General Pediatrics.

UAB Department of Psychiatry is pleased to announce the recruitment of Dr. Andrew Hardaway to the Faculty of Division of Behavioral Neurobiology as an Assistant Professor.  Dr. Hardaway received his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Vanderbilt University where he studied genetic contributions to dopamine signaling using the nematode Caenhorhabditis elegans. In 2014, he moved to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he worked in the Department of Pharmacology and Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies as a post-doctoral fellow before joining the Research Faculty as Assistant Professor. An accomplished, NIH-funded, translational scientist,  Dr. Hardaway’s research focuses on the neurobiology of normal and abnormal feeding such as binge eating as well as anxiety, mood disorders and other common comorbid conditions.  He plans to relocate to UAB this December.