NEW! Get ready for the 2025 Holiday Party

Celebrate the holidays with friends and coworkers at Psychiatry's annual holiday party from 6-9 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 10, at the A.W. Harris Faculty-Alumni Center.

Have photos from this year? Email us a few for a slideshow to be played at the holiday party. Share your favorite memories of coworkers and friends.

NEW! Dr. Wakhlu accepts Watson Award

Dr. Sidarth Wakhlu was officially honored with the Patricia and William L. Watson Jr. M.D. Award for Excellence in Clinical Medicine as part of the UT Southwestern Leaders in Clinical Excellence Awards ceremony on Nov. 5. The ceremony was held in the Tom and Lula Gooch Auditorium and was followed by a reception attended and watched online by many Psychiatry faculty. A story and video about Dr. Wakhlu is available to read here.

O'Donnell Brain Institute celebrates 10 years

The Peter O'Donnell Brain Jr. Institute marked a decade of advancement with a special landing page featuring "Innovations in Neuroscience," including information about the Psychiatry Department's work and researchers. Click "Neuroplasticity and Psychiatric Conditions" on the landing page linked above to see the article. The landing page update also includes statistics on the work the OBI does, links to MedBlogs on brain health, and the latest news releases on brain-related subjects.

Welcome Back, Mariam Andersen!

We are delighted to announce that Mariam Andersen, M.A., CCRP has accepted the position of Assistant Director of the Clinical Research Infrastructure in the Department of Psychiatry and will join our Team on Nov. 1.

Mariam is no stranger to Psychiatry — in fact, this is where her UT Southwestern journey began in 2004 as a research coordinator. Since then, she has spent more than two decades building a career in clinical research leadership across neuroscience and academic medicine. Most recently, Mariam served as Associate Director of Research Administration within the Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute and the Perot Foundation Neuroscience Translational Research Center (PNTRC), where she led large multidisciplinary research teams, advanced operational excellence, and helped launch institutional programs such as the Research Excellence Initiative to support collaborative and early-career investigator research.

In her new role, Mariam will partner with faculty, staff, and institutional leaders to strengthen our department’s clinical research infrastructure, promote collaboration, and support innovation across our diverse research programs.

Mariam shared, “It feels like coming home. Psychiatry is where I first discovered my passion for clinical research, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to return and contribute to the next chapter of growth and discovery in this department.”

Please join us in welcoming Mariam back to Psychiatry!

A statement on the Faculty Senate being dissolved

Colleagues, it has been a pleasure serving as the department representative to the Faculty Senate for the past several years. In my time on the Faculty Senate, the group advocated for faculty on many important issues, including campus parking, streamlining HR processes, improving IRB timelines and clarity, and ensuring the voice of faculty was represented as the university transitioned from the older PTO system to the new “My Time” system. Consistent with a recently passed State Law, the UTSW Faculty Senate was disbanded effective Sept. 1, 2025. The UTSW administration is working closely with the UT System Board of Regents to create a new Faculty Senate consistent with the guidelines provided by the Legislature. Over the summer, the Faculty Senate worked to compile resources for faculty to utilize during this period without a Faculty Senate, and those resources are linked below. 

Best,

Dr. Adriane dela Cruz, M.D., Ph.D.

2025 Faculty/Staff Retreat gets wild at the zoo

The Psychiatry Department Faculty/Staff Retreat at the Dallas Zoo was a smashing success, with 177 attendees bonding through teambuilding exercises, learning more about the essential work happening throughout the department, and enjoying a pleasant day outdoors. Thank you to everyone who attended and to those who planned this first-ever combined retreat.

Nutrition & Obesity Research Center (NORC) grant opportunity deadline is Nov. 12

In 2022, UT Southwestern was awarded a Nutrition and Obesity Research Center Grant (NORC) to support the large number of investigators at UT Southwestern conducting research in these important disease areas. As a part of this award, we have established a Pilot and Feasibility (P&F) granting opportunity for young investigators conducting research in fields related to obesity, metabolism, and nutrition. Four $50,000 awards are available. The deadline to submit a NORC grant application is 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 12, 2025. For submissions and questions, contact UTSWNORC@utsouthwestern.edu.

Create a new email signature with this generator

The UTSW Brand Team has created a new email signature generation form. The purpose of an updated institutional email signature is to help maintain a consistent, professional brand image across the UT Southwestern community. The new signature will create a more professional and cohesive appearance, making it easier for recipients to find key contact details like your phone number, title, and mailing address. Please follow the instructions in the linked form below to generate your new signature via Redcap and upload it to Outlook. If you need assistance, please contact the UTSW Brand Team at brandidentity@utsouthwestern.edu. They are happy to help. Thank you for supporting brand continuity!

LaDari Weisner joins the UT Southwestern Psychiatry Department as a Research Technician, Level II in Dr. Ram Madabushi's Lab. She was a Dean's Gold Scholarship recipient and 2022 graduate from Baylor University with Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and minor in English. She comes to the department after working as a Virtual Medical Scribe for ProScribe, and is preparing to go to medical school for an M.D./Ph.D. She enjoys reading, playing softball, and spending time with family.

Dr. Derek Bartlett, Ph.D., will serve in multiple roles in the UT Southwestern Psychiatry Department, including providing outpatient care in MSOPC, serving on the solid organ transplant teams (heart, liver, kidney, and lung), and working as a consult liaison psychologist at CUH. Dr. Bartlett earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Brigham Young University and completed both his internship and postdoctoral fellowship at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. His clinical background is in health psychology, with particular interests in transplant, chronic pain, biofeedback, insomnia, and cardiac conditions — including congenital and heart failure populations. He enjoys an eclectic mix of hobbies — from cooking and exploring new cuisines to playing music. He’s also an avid participant in recreational sports and physical activities, including swimming, aerial silks, volleyball, pickleball, and rock climbing. Dr. Bartlett recently relocated to Dallas with his spouse, 21-month-old son, and corgi.

Brianna Patricia Tancinco is a Licensed Master Social Worker and joins the department as a Clinical Social Work Fellow. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work and a minor in Dance in 2023 and master’s of Social Work in 2024 from Baylor University. She has experience in medical social work and clinical counseling settings. Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, before to moving to Texas in 2019, she enjoys attending ballets and other performing arts, long walks, visits to coffee shops, and soaking up time with her friends and family.

Alexandra Davis is a Licensed Master Social Worker and joins the department as a Clinical Social Work Fellow. She earned a Master of Social Work with a specialty in Direct Practice with Children and Families from the University of Texas at Arlington. She received her Bachelor of Social Work in 2018 from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls. Her experience includes child and family counseling, as well as case management roles in child welfare, adoptions, and adult mental health. Originally from Fort Worth, she is happy to be moving back to the DFW area to begin this new opportunity. 

Katie Blomberg graduated in August with her Master of Science in Psychology from Arizona State University. Her past research experience includes working with a private practice group in Arizona, focusing on compiling and presenting findings on ADHD in children. She has joined Dr. Graham Emslie's lab as a Clinical Research Assistant for TX-YDSRN and said she is excited to contribute to meaningful work that makes a difference!

NEW! Dr. Arthur Westover, M.D., was quoted in a The Independent article titled, "These characteristics might mean you are autistic. This is how to get diagnosed." Read the article here.

Clinical Psychology Doctoral Candidate Matthew Hutnyan recently published an article on the ethics of AI in psychology practice in Professional Psychology: Research and Practice along with Dr. Michael Gottlieb, Ph.D. This article was selected for Editor's Choice, a high honor in APA journals that signifies that the work is "exceptionally important, impactful, and deserves additional visibility for the whole field." It is free to read here for the next month. 

A UT Southwestern news release recognized Dr. Jeffrey Zigman, M.D., Ph.D., for his study focused on nighttime hunger. The study findings, which were published in Cell Reports, indicate that activating specific neurons in a part of the brain that serves as the body's master circadian pacemaker causes mice to eat significantly more during a time of the day when they would normally be at rest.

NEW! The Psychiatry Department was one of UT Southwestern's top five departments for Special Grant Incentive (SGI) and Collaborative Research Grant Incentive (CRGI) awards in FY25. A total of 94 SGIs and CRGIs were allocated to 74 UTSW faculty members in the fiscal year. Thirty-two incentives were awarded in the last quarter - the highest number in a single quarter since the programs began. Between FY20 and FY25, the SGI and CRGI programs have collectively granted 537 incentive awards providing more than $5.3 million to UT Southwestern faculty.

NEW! Thank you to everyone who donated to the charity of their choice through the State Employee Charitable Campaign (SECC). Psychiatry more than doubled last year's total donations, raising $5,683 for worthy causes. Psychiatry improved its university-wide rank in donations made from No. 70 to No. 53 this year. Way to go!

Several award winners were honored at the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program and Internship Annual Fall Social, a longstanding tradition that brings together faculty members, current students, postdoctoral fellows, and alumni for an evening of meaningful conversation, professional connection, and collective celebration. This year's winners were: Outstanding Teacher – Dr. Julia Cartwright, Ph.D.; Outstanding Research Mentor – Dr. Christian LoBue, Ph.D.; Outstanding Clinical Supervisor – Dr. Ellie Hakim, Ph.D.; Outstanding Teaching Assistant – Ekene Nwosisi; 2025 Rush C. Williams Award for Diversity & Inclusion – Sydni Shorter, fourth year student; and 2025 Sandra L. Warshak Award for Outstanding Dissertation – Dr. Emma Reutimann, Ph.D.

NEW! A group from Clinical Psychology participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s – Dallas on Nov. 1. Pictured are Nakita Gee, Hannah Cabrera, Tara Driskill, Ally Rodriguez, Matt Hutnynan, Dr. Deborah Gonzalez, Psy.D., and Hadley Daniel, along with their family members.

Dr. Snoben Kuruvila, D.M.S., M.S.P.A.S., PA-C, CAQ-Psych, has been awarded a 2025 Diana and Richard C. Strauss Service Excellence Award for the third quarter. Employees representing a variety of departments are recognized quarterly for exhibiting the highest level of excellence and professionalism in all they do.

Dr. Jeff Schaffert, Ph.D., has been awarded a $329,136 grant from the Texas Alzheimer's Research and Care Consortium (TARCC). The TARCC grant will fund a study on "Plasma Biomarkers and Alzheimer's Disease in Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus."

Dr. Yosanly Cornelio, M.D., MSc, Ph.D. student in Clinical Research, received the top award in the Student Completed/Ongoing Research category from the UTSW Research Advisory Committee. As part of this recognition, she earned a $1,000 prize and the opportunity to present her proposal about adolescent depression, emotional dysregulation, and heart rate variability at the 2026 Capra Symposium, which celebrates innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration in health professions research. Dr. Cornelio works with the Pediatric Psychiatry Research Team at Children's Hospital under the supervision of Dr. Rabia Ayvaci, M.D.

Dr. Laura Lacritz, Ph.D., has been awarded a $219,465 fellowship grant from the Texas Alzheimer's Research and Care Consortium (TARCC). The UTSW Neuropsychology of Dementia Postdoctoral Fellowship grant will fund the position through August 2027. 

Dr. Jennifer Coughlin, M.D., has been awarded a $438,875 grant from the Texas Alzheimer's Research and Care Consortium (TARCC). The TARCC grant will fund "Imaging microglia in Alzheimer's disease," a study which is being conducted with Dr. Christian Lobue, Ph.D., and research assistant Hannah Cabrera.

Dr. E. Sherwood Brown, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., has been selected as a recipient of UT Southwestern's Special Grant Incentive (SGI) Award, which provides funding of $10,000. His sponsor agency is the NIH-National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

NEW! UT Southwestern Neuropsychologists and graduate students were well-represented at the 2025 meeting of the National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN) from Nov. 5-8 in Los Angeles. At this meeting each year, students showcase their research as they network and meet leading researchers and educators from across the globe. Presenters at this year's meeting included Psychology graduate students Leah Bullinger, Lauren Eisenstat, Tiffany Grezmak, Ila Iverson, Alyssa Kaser, Oscar Kronenberger, and Logan Shurtz. Several faculty members, including Dr. Stephen Bunt, Ed.D., Dr. Munro Cullum, Ph.D., Dr. Veronica Bordes Edgar, Ph.D., Dr. Jasmine Hammer, Ph.D., Dr. Laura Lacritz, Ph.D., Dr. Robert Ruchinska, Psy.D., Dr. Cheryl Silver, Ph.D., and Dr. Kristin Wilmoth, Ph.D., also presented or otherwise participated in the NAN meeting.

NEW! Abigail Bellatti, who was mentored by Dr. Graham J. Emslie, M.D., as a 2025 recipient of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Summer Medical Student Fellowship Program (supported by AACAP’s Campaign for America’s Kids, Break the Cycle Initiative), presented the poster “The Interactive Roles of Family and Sleep Associated With Future Suicide Attempts Among Adolescents in an Intensive Outpatient Program,” at the October AACAP conference in Chicago. Other contributors to the poster were Sophia Jones, B.S., Elizabeth Amadasu, B.S., Dr. Kristin Wolfe, Ph.D., ABPP, Dr. Paul A. Nakonezny, Ph.D., Dr. Betsy D. Kennard, PsyD, ABPP, and Dr. Sunita Stewart, Ph.D.

The Moncrief Adolescent and Young Adult Research Teams, specifically undergraduate research assistants Michael Wrucke and Grace Rickey, and clinical psychologist Dr. Molin Shi, Ph.D., presented at the Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer Coalition (AYACC) conference in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on Oct. 23. 

Dr. Sruveera Sathi, M.D., presented on Dr. Joseph Guillory, M.D.'s, research titled "RISE: A Peer-Based Recovery Program for High School Teens with Suicidality" at the American Academy of Child/Adolescent Psychiatry Alliance for Learning and Innovation (AALI) Idea Forum. Dr. Israel "Blad" Munoz, M.D., served as one of the trainee co-chairs for the forum.

Dr. Alyson Nakamura, M.D., was the featured speaker at the annual Dr. Sharon Reimold Fall Faculty Reception in late October.

Dr. Christian LoBue, Ph.D., Dr. Deborah Gonzalez, Psy.D., and Dr. William Goette, Ph.D., and several clinical psychology doctoral students provided free cognitive screenings and handouts about evidence-based strategies to foster brain health at a community event hosted by the Dallas Area Gerontological Society. The clinical psychology students who participated were Leah Bullinger, Tara Driskill, Caroline Whitmarsh, Alley Rodriguez, and Hadley Daniels.

Arya Nekovei, a UT Southwestern medical student, along with psychiatry faculty, presented a poster titled, "Trajectories of Depression and Anxiety Profiles in Youth From the Texas Youth Depression and Suicide Research Network Study" at the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry conference in Chicago in October.

Multiple UT Southwestern residents made presentations at the Association of Medicine and Psychiatry annual meeting, Oct. 9-11 in Newport Beach, California.

Dr. Melissa Dong, M.D., and Dr. Juan Carlos Zarate Jarquin, M.D., presented a poster titled, "Challenges to liver transplant in borderline personality disorder: A trauma response to a failed donor offer resulting in removal from the waitlist." Dr. Dong also served on a resident panel answering medical student questions about med/psych.

Dr. Stephanie Byun, M.D., presented a poster titled, "When estrogen goes awry: A case of perimenopausal psychosis," created in cooperation with Dr. Nicholas Champagne-Aves, M.D., and faculty member, Dr. Nikhil Dhawan, M.D. 

Dr. Ashley Ernst, M.D., presented a med/psych case titled, "An itch you can't scratch." This was one of the main conference sessions presented to all conference attendees. 

Dr. T. "Abby" Ortiz, M.D., presented "Bipolar Disorder as an Example of Nonlinear Dynamics of Mood Fluctuations," to more than 500 participants at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) in Amsterdam on Oct.12. The presentation was part of a symposium on network neuroscience and individualized medicine.

Dr. Kitzia Moreno, Ph.D., presented “Culturally Responsive Inpatient Interventions for Spanish-Speaking Patients” at the World Congress of Psychiatry in Prague, Czech Republic. 

NEW! Digital Dilemmas presentation

The Dallas Psychological Association will host the in-person workshop, "Digital Dilemmas: Addressing Problematic Social Media Use and Problematic Gaming in Youth," from 9 a.m.-Noon on Friday, Dec. 5 at One Energy Square, 4925 Greenville Ave., Suite 106 in Dallas. Presenters include Dr. Betsy Kennard, Psy.D., Dr. Alex Foxwell, Ph.D., Dr. Hayley Fourier, Ph.D., and Jeremy Edge, LPC-S, IGDC. The workshop is worth 3 CE hours.

Mark your calendars for in-person Psychiatry Grand Rounds

Don't miss your opportunity to learn from visiting physicians and educators when they come to UT Southwestern for in-person Psychiatry Grand Rounds. In-person attendance offers you the opportunity to interact with the visiting speaker and reflects well on the Psychiatry Department. In an effort to promote in-person events, please mark your calendars for the following Psychiatry Grand Rounds scheduled in the coming year. 

Feb. 18, 2026

Dr. Zafiris "Jeff" Daskalakis, M.D., Ph.D., UC-San Diego Department of Psychiatry
Presenting "Harmonizing effectiveness & physiology: an exploration of magnetic brain stimulation in depression"

o Location: NG3.112

o Food will be: NG3.108

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

Psychiatry Department Town Hall Meeting

The next Psychiatry Department Town Hall Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 3, Noon-1 p.m. via Zoom. Watch your calendar for the Zoom link.