NEW! Dean's Scholar in Clinical Research program application cycle opens in February

The UT Southwestern Dean’s Scholar in Clinical Research program provides promising early career faculty with financial resources, career guidance, research training, and protected research time to facilitate their development as successful clinical physician scientists. The goal is to provide transitional support to allow these faculty with an opportunity to launch their independent research careers. 

Candidates must be nominated by a clinical department at UTSW. Nominations for the program's spring application cycle open on Sunday, Feb. 1. For more information on the program, including application links, visit this webpage or email with any questions about the program including eligibility or for assistance with applications.

NEW! CRI Intent to Submit Form is now available

The Clinical Research Infrastructure (CRI) team is excited to share that its CRI Intent to Submit Form is live! Please utilize this form to submit CRI requests (e.g., assistance with grant submissions, contracts, etc.). For more information about the form, contact Yelonda Williams, Opal Brown, or Mariam Andersen. 

NEW! Residents, faculty take part in point-in-time count

Dr. Temitope Adedolapo, M.D., M.S., M.B.A., Dr. Emily Heydemann, M.D., Dr. Juan Sosa, M.D., and Dr. Enrique Chiu Han, M.D., (all pictured above from left) joined the Metrocare Homeless Services Outreach Team for the point-in-time (PIT) count in the lead-up to the winter storm that struck much of the country late last week. A PIT count is a single-night count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness.

Two Division Coordinators named

Congratulations to the two newest Division Coordinators who will support the efforts of the department's Division Chiefs. With their hiring and promotion, all of the division coordinator positions in the department have been filled. The organizational chart above outlines the Psychiatry Department's administrative leadership.

Miguel Garza – General Adult Psychiatry

Miguel Garza brings 10 years of health care experience to his new position. Prior to this role, he worked at Baylor College of Medicine as the Finance Administrator for the Graduate school of Biomedical Sciences for the last three years and as the Research Administrator for the department of Neurosurgery. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health from The University of Texas at San Antonio and holds a master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Western Governors University. 

Lilian Hong – Psychology

Lilian Hong joins the Department of Psychiatry from the UT Southwestern Department of Neurological Surgery, where she initially started as a Project Specialist and advanced to Project Manager, focusing on department and clinical operations. Most recently, she served as the Interim Department Administrator. She holds a Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Texas A&M University and a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Studies with a concentration in Healthcare Administration from The University of Texas at Dallas. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, discovering new restaurants, reading, traveling with her husband, playing the piano, and sewing. She values spending quality time with friends and family, especially when it involves board games and great food.

View Psychiatry Department Leadership Series recordings and upcoming dates

Recordings from the Psychiatry Department Leadership Series will be made available on the Psychiatry Department SharePoint site after each session. The first presentation is available now, and upcoming topics are listed on the site to help participants plan to attend future sessions from Noon-1 p.m. on the second Mondays of each month from January through October 2026 (excluding August). Look for Outlook calendar invitations for the upcoming dates listed.

UTSW faculty, residents attend ACNP Conference

A large cohort of UT Southwestern doctors attended the 64th Annual Meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) in Nassau, Bahamas, in mid-January. The group attended several virtual and in-person panels and connected with colleagues. See the Kudos section of this newsletter for more news from the ACNP.

Writing Accountability Group will have two spring cohorts

The Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program will offer two cohorts for its Spring 2026 Writing Accountability Group. The workshop series is designed to make scholarly writing a habit and includes sessions in which researchers will work on their own scholarly writing accompanied by individual and group accountability. The two series consist of eight weekly sessions of around 75 minutes each from 8:15-9:30 a.m. via Microsoft Teams. Cohort 1 will meet each Monday from Jan. 26-March 16. Cohort 2 will meet each Monday from March 30-May 18.

Cleaver named new Facilities Administrator

Bradley Cleaver has taken on the role of the Department Facilities Administrator effective Jan. 12. He is now the point of contact for the department for asset management, inventory control, renovations/construction, space management, building access, business continuity, and IMPACT. He will be officed in the Chairman's Suite and spend time at Empire Plaza. Please welcome him to this new position and feel free to reach out to him for assistance.

NEW! Dr. Kallene Vidal, M.D., Ph.D., has joined the Department of Psychiatry as an Assistant Professor. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at Friedrich-Alexander Universität (FAU) Erlangen–Nürnberg, Germany, from 2017 to 2018. Dr. Vidal worked previously as a psychiatrist and researcher at the Interdisciplinary Neuromodulation Service of the Institute of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo (IPq-HCFMUSP), one of the largest academic medical centers in South America. She also received formal training in clinical research and clinical trials at Harvard Medical School. Her research focuses on neuromodulation treatment strategies for neuropsychiatric disorders and on psychophysical and electrophysiological assessment of the visual system, guided by the concept of the “eye as a window to the brain,” to study neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders.

NEW! Dr. Kathy Niu, M.D., is the co-editor of Psychiatric Neurology: A Clinical Approach, a new textbook from American Psychiatric Association Publishing. The book is co-edited by Dr. Sheldon Benjamin, M.D., and includes "contributions from more than 30 experts (that) summarize neurological diagnoses and their neuropsychiatric presentations."

NEW! Dr. Darlene King, M.D., was quoted in the MedPage Today article, "Regular AI Chatbot Use Linked to Depressive Symptoms." Read the article here.

Dr. Collin Vas, M.D., published the MedBlog, "Body dysmorphia: Effective treatment for ‘invisible’ mental health condition." Read it here.

Dr. Tarek Rajji, M.D., has been promoted to Fellow status in the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP). A letter informing Dr. Rajji of the change noted that "Promotion is based on both your scientific reputation and your contributions to the College through committee work and involvement in the Annual Meeting program."

Dr. Andre Russowsky Brunoni, M.D. Ph.D., M.B.A., has been elected to membership in the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP).

Dr. Sherwood Brown, M.D., Ph.D., has been awarded a $10,000 Special Grant Incentive (SGI). The SGI program provides funding to UT Southwestern faculty members who are successful in obtaining federal awards and encourages faculty to further pursue federal awards to advance science and benefit patients.

Dr. Nicholas Westers, Psy.D. was recently appointed to Fellow status within the Society of Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM). FSAHM designation recognizes a long-term commitment to and advocacy for adolescent health-related issues, demonstrated through professional activities as well as peer recognition. Dr. Westers has been active in SAHM for many years, serving in roles including the co-chair of the Violence Prevention SIG, the Director of Programs for the 2022 and 2023 SAHM Annual Conferences, and most recently serving in an elected role on the Nominations Committee. SAHM is a large, multidisciplinary organization and psychologist representation among Fellows is very small; Dr. Westers is one of approximately five psychologists internationally who have attained this status.

UTSW Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship graduates, Dr. Maravet Baig-Ward, M.D., Dr. Patrick Butler, M.D., and Dr. Mohayed Mohayed, M.D. (photos left to right) have successfully attained American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) Board Certification in the subspecialty of Forensic Psychiatry.

Dr. Stephen Bunt, Ed.D., Dr. Nyaz Didehbani, Ph.D., Dr. C. Munroe Cullum, Ph.D., and Dr. Kristin Wilmoth, Ph.D., and graduate student Logan Shurtz contributed to a First Place-Winning Outstanding Student Project for the journal The Clinical Neuropsychologist submitted by Southern Methodist University Statistics and Data Science graduate student Ellen Taylor. Taylor was awarded first place for her paper, "Using Machine Learning to Predict Concussion Recovery Time: The Importance of Psychological and Symptomatic Factors." Dr. Wilmoth was Taylor's mentor for the project.

Dr. Molin Shi, Ph.D., and Moncrief Cancer Institute have been awarded a $50,000 grant towards the "AYA Automated Care Plan" from The Morris Foundation for the calendar year 2026.

NEW! UT Southwestern faculty and trainees recently joined other educators, community partners, and the leadership of The Sixth Floor Museum for a focused exploration of extreme overvalued beliefs – how they form, how they escalate, and how they intersect with history, violence, and public memory. The special seminar was co-organized by residents Dr. Temitope Adedolapo, M.D., M.S., M.B.A., and Dr. Thomas Pak, M.D.

The program began with a guided tour of museum located in the former Texas School Book Depository, the site associated with President John F. Kennedy's assassination by Lee Harvey Oswald. Dr. Tahir Rahman, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Washington University in St. Louis, clinical psychiatrist, and a consultant to the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit, delivered a keynote lecture outlining the clinical and forensic dimensions of extreme overvalued beliefs. This was followed by a panel discussion featuring Dr. Kenneth Dekleva, M.D., Dr. Mitchell Dunn, M.D., Dr. Susana Lampley, M.D., Dr. Kehinde Obikoya, M.D., and Dr. Juan Sosa, M.D. A central educational aim of the seminar was helping residents clearly differentiate obsessions, delusions, and extreme overvalued beliefs – three constructs that are often confused in clinical practice, particularly when evaluating individuals with rigid or dangerous ideation. These distinctions were further explored in small‑group sessions facilitated by the panelists alongside Dr. Adam Brenner, M.D. (pictured above), Dr. John Burruss, M.D., and Dr. Adriane Dela Cruz, M.D., Ph.D., allowing participants to apply the framework to nuanced clinical scenarios and deepen their understanding.

NEW! In-person Psychiatry Grand Rounds are coming up

Dr. Zafiris "Jeff" Daskalakis, M.D., Ph.D., from the UC-San Diego Department of Psychiatry will present "Harmonizing effectiveness & physiology: an exploration of magnetic brain stimulation in depression" at an in-person Psychiarty Grand Rounds from Noon-1 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 18. The presentation will be held in NG3.112 with a reception and food in NG3.108.

This is the first of three upcoming in-person Psychiatry Grand Rounds. Don't miss your opportunity to learn from visiting physicians and educators when they come to UT Southwestern. In-person attendance reflects well on the Psychiatry Department and offers you the opportunity to interact directly with the visiting speaker. Other in-person grand rounds are listed below.

March 11, 2026
Dr. Chadi Calarge, M.D., Baylor College of Medicine

Presenting "Iron deficiency and adolescent brain development"

o Location: NG3.112

o Food will be: NG3.108

March 25, 2026

Dr. Benoit Mulsant, M.D., M.S., FRCPC, DLFAPA, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto

Presenting "Can we predict the future of psychiatry?"

o Location: NG3.112

o Food will be: NG3.108

Please watch for more information about all Grand Rounds via calendar invitations or by checking the UT Southwestern Events Calendar.

NEW! Meg Bouvier Master the R Series Bootcamp Registration is now open

The Master the R Series Bootcamp is designed for those preparing to write an NIH submission and the people who advise them. Key takeaways from the training include learning effective NIH writing strategies, the application of those strategies in drafting a submission, sharper skills through examining others' submissions, and other skill development opportunities. The four-date bootcamp will be delivered in two-hour sessions on Feb. 17 and 24 and March 3 and 10. Recordings of each session will be available a few days after the live event.

NEW! High Impact Science Writing and Manuscript Writing workshops set for early February

Dr. Susan Marriott, Ph.D., President of BioScience Writers and Professor of Molecular Virology and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, will lead two upcoming virtual writing workshops.

Great scientific communicators effectively convey complex ideas to broad audiences with passion and in understandable terms. The High Impact Science Writing workshop can help you become great scientific communicator by teaching you how to write with clarity and brevity. Learn how to identify and understand your audience, choose the best word to use for specific situations, and structure your sentences and paragraphs in an engaging way. Learn fundamental tools and thought processes that will help you highlight the most important parts of your work and increase the impact and visibility of your science. The workshop is planned for Thursday, Feb. 12 from 4-5:30 p.m.

Next Ethics Grand Rounds will focus on pharmacy ethics

The next Ethics Grand Rounds lecture will be "Not Just Drugs: Clinical Ethics and the Health-System Pharmacist," presented by Linda B. Uchal, Pharm.D., M.S., BCPS, BCCCP. Uchal is a Clinical Pharmacist-Critical Care at UT Southwestern's Clements University Hospital. The lecture is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 10 from Noon-1 p.m. Details about this lecture may be found on the University's events calendar here. For more information, please email Ruth Vinciguerra.

Sign up for group coaching this spring

Group coaching sessions offer a supportive environment where you can connect with faculty peers, share experiences, and gain valuable insights to help you achieve your goals. Sessions facilitated by Dr. Anand Rohatgi, M.D., are interactive and dynamic, featuring a mix of group discussions, exercises, and actionable takeaways. The next cohort begins on March 23 with sessions on April 13, May 11, May 27, and June 8.

Deadline for Inspiring Careers in Mental Health apps is Feb. 2

The application deadline for Inspiring Careers in Mental Health, a two-week summer internship for rising 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students and rising college first-years is Monday, Feb. 2. The program provides students with overviews of a range of careers available in mental health. Participants learn about the breadth of work available in mental health in areas like psychotherapy, neuropsychological testing, neuroscience, interventional psychiatry, and community psychiatry.