Our clinical and translational research group seeks to better understand the pathophysiology and therapeutics of major mood and substance use disorders, including their comorbidity.

A major focus of the lab has been the identification, replication, and dissemination of biomarkers of treatment response to the glutamate modulator, ketamine. 

As an example, our group has demonstrated that a history of an alcohol-use disorder in an immediate family member is a positive predictor of antidepressant response to ketamine. Based on this observation, we are attempting to identify alcohol-sensitive biomarkers of antidepressant efficacy to ketamine and potentially other glutamate-based antidepressants. We take a multimodal approach to this work across several levels of analysis – genetics, neuroimaging, neurophysiology, and psychology/behavioral testing – with the goal of translation to improve the lives of our patients and their families with these disabling disorders. 

Our lab has also begun to investigate ketamine and psilocybin-assisted psychotherapies for the treatment of alcohol use disorders, with accompanying biomarker identification.