Brain & Behavior Research Foundation Young Investigator Grant

The BBRF Young Investigator Grant program offers up to $35,000 a year for up to two years to enable promising investigators to either extend their research fellowship training or to begin careers as independent research faculty.

Key Requirements:

• Applicants may apply twice for their first YI Grant and only once more if previously awarded.
• A maximum of two YI Grants can be awarded per researcher.
• Applicants must hold a doctoral-level degree (e.g., M.D., Ph.D., Psy.D.) and be in advanced postdoctoral training or a faculty position.
• Research must primarily focus on psychiatric disorders (transdiagnostic designs welcome).
• Some disorders such as Autism, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Parkinson’s Disease are supported by BBRF only if primary psychiatric disorders are included in the research design. Transdiagnostic designs involving several disorders are welcome.

Application deadline: Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Grant Review Workshop

UTSW currently offers workshops for new investigators applying for R01 (SOAR) and K awards (SEAK). These programs include approximately eight virtual sessions and a mock study section, with grant sections reviewed collaboratively by facilitators and peers. We encourage faculty to consider applying to these programs. However, enrollment is limited due to the structure of the programs.

To address the need for more Psychiatry investigators to participate in this type of program, the department will introduce a similar workshop tailored for its investigators. This initiative aims to increase participation and provide support for a broader range of grant types, including those submitted by more experienced investigators.

Key details:

• Eight 90-minute sessions, beginning the week of March 17, 2025.
• The exact day and time will be arranged after participants have been identified. The sessions will include review of specific aims, research strategy, training plans for K award applicants, NIH biosketches and other sections, culminating with a mock study section review of the applications
• Applicable to NIH, DOD, and other federal or foundation grants submitted on or after June 1, 2025. Investigators submitting other types of grants who want to participate will also be included on a case-by-case basis.
• Participants will submit grant sections (e.g., background, research strategy) to the facilitator and a peer reviewer at least 48 hours before each session.
• Both verbal and written feedback will be provided by a facilitator and peer (another participant).

Internal Grant Review for New Applications

Receiving constructive feedback on grant applications prior to submission is invaluable for all investigators, particularly for those new to the process. Departments of Psychiatry with the highest levels of NIH funding often employ similar practices. To foster success, our department will implement a formal review process. This review will be mandatory for those meeting the definition of a NIH New Investigator (grant applicants who have not yet competed successfully for a substantial, competing NIH research grant) and optional for others.

Key details:

• Applicable to NIH, DOD, and other federal grants submitted on or after June 1, 2025.
• A nearly complete application (not a rough draft) must be submitted electronically at least 30 days prior to the grant's due date.
• Relevant grant details (e.g., PAR or other guidance documents) should accompany the submission.
• Applications will undergo peer review by at least two faculty members in Psychiatry. Based on the topic, reviewers may also include faculty from other UTSW departments or external institutions.
• A written critique will be provided within 10 calendar days.

Note: Participation in the Grant Review Workshop above satisfies the pre-submission review requirement for new investigators. However, investigators are encouraged to engage in both for comprehensive support.

Fellowship Match

Congratulations to the newly matched fellows for the upcoming 2025-2026 academic year!

Addiction Psychiatry:

• Donald Egan II, M.D., M.P.H., UT Southwestern Medical Center
• Zachary Kennedy, M.D., UT Southwestern Medical Center
• Ashima Singla, M.D., OSU Center for Health Science
• Jonathan Tang, M.D., OSU Center for Health Science
• Sophia Wang, M.D., University of Utah

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry:

• Victoria Ayala, M.D., St. John's Episcopal Hospital
• Lucia Boettner, M.D., Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center
• Courtney Chineme, D.O., UT Southwestern Medical Center
• Ari Gao, M.D., Baylor College of Medicine
• Hannah Gomez, M.D., UT Southwestern Medical Center
• Alaa Hajeissa, M.D., University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria
• Jaid Hall, M.D., University of Texas Health Science Center - San Antonio
• Caila Lavine, M.D., UT Southwestern
• Vimita Patel, M.D., Saint Louis University School of Medicine

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - Inaugural Community Track:

• Vismaya Joseph, M.D., Baptist Health - University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry:

• Jeffrey Bogard, M.D., University of Kansas School of Medicine

Forensic Psychiatry:

• Ethan Doyle Hinds III, M.D., University of Texas Health Science Center - San Antonio
• Arianna Sewell, M.D., M.H.S., Morehouse School of Medicine
• Ali-Noor Jessani, D.O., VCU Health System

Geriatric Psychiatry:

• Rachel Beck, M.D., UT Southwestern Medical Center

IMPACT Faculty Development Program

The IMPACT program for clinician educators is a new opportunity designed to support junior faculty who have academic career interests in medical education. Participants will benefit from a series of workshops, mentorship opportunities, and hands-on projects that will significantly contribute to their professional growth.

Autism Research Program Anticipated Funding for FY25

The FY25 Defense Appropriations Act is anticipated to provide funding for the Au­tism Research Program to support research of exceptional scientific merit and innovation with high impact that focuses on autism. A pre-application is required and must be submitted through the electronic Biomed­ical Research Application Portal (eBRAP) prior to the pre-application deadline. All applications must conform to the final funding opportunity announcements that will be available for downloading from the Grants.gov website. Submission deadlines are not available until the funding opportunity announcements are released.

VuMedi Compliance

In an effort to ensure that our faculty have the best and most accurate information before engaging with VuMedi, please note that any work with VuMedi would be considered a personal outside activity and therefore would need to be disclosed in your COI Statement of Financial Interests. It will be reviewed and approved by a supervisor. It is not considered to be a pre-approved activity per EMP-158 that does not require disclosure.

View Our Open Faculty Positions

Tarek Rajji, M.D., participated in a follow-up podcast interview about the study Slowing cognitive decline in major depressive disorder and mild cognitive impairment.

Molly Camp, M.D. was elected to the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (AAGP) Baord of Directors.

Oscar Kronenberger, a graduate student in the Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, received a Best Research Award for his poster Montreal Cognitive Assessment Memory Scores and Alzheimer's Disease Pathological Change at the TARCC Symposium.

The Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology held its annual interview day where top-ranked applicants are invited to visit. It was a highly competitive process, and we received more than 330 applications. The admissions committee, led by Drs. Laura Lacritz and Alex Foxwell, is in the process of making offers to the top candidates. The program, now in its sixth decade of training outstanding clinical psychologists, is directed by Richard C. Robinson, PhD, and the Director of Clinical Training is Veronica Bordes Edgar, PhD. Thanks to all faculty, staff and current students who volunteered their time to make the 2025 interview day a success!

Tammy Young, M.B.A., graduated from the UT Southwestern Aspiring Leaders Program on February 7th.

Courtney Sanders, Ph.D., was born and raised in DFW. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Southern Methodist University and completed a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of North Texas. Dr. Sanders is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and a Psychologist in the Multispecialty Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic. Her clinical interests include OCD, trauma, substance use, and emerging adulthood.

Nitya Sreevalsan, M.D. completed her Child Psychiatry fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Dr. Sreevalsan will be joining the Consult-Liaison team at Children’s Medical Center Dallas.

Corin Osborn, Ph.D., is a Licensed Psychologist. She completed her Ph.D. at Nova Southeastern University, and her internship at the May Institute in Boston, where she worked in a residential school setting with individuals ages 10 to 22 years old with significant behavioral challenges. She then completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Center for Autism Care, where she has joined as faculty. Dr. Osborns clinical services focus on the treatment of challenging behaviors in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disabilities, parent trainings, and the evaluation of autism spectrum disorder. She often works with parents and children together to support positive behavioral changes across settings.  

James Jones graduated from Prairie View A&M University in 2022. While completing his degree in Psychology, James organized educational activities for students on campus and served as an Albert Schweitzer Fellow. As a training coordinator, James will support the Youth Aware of Mental Health program in planning, implementing, and evaluating training and educational activities.

Sandarsh Surya, M.D., completed his medical training in Bangalore, India. He pursued postgraduate training in Psychiatry at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, NC, and at Augusta University in Augusta, GA, where he served as Chief Resident. He completed a fellowship in Geriatric Psychiatry at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in Pittsburgh, PA. His clinical and research interests include geriatric psychiatry and therapeutic brain stimulation. Prior to relocating to Dallas, he was a faculty member at Augusta University and served as Medical Director of the ECT service. At Parkland Health, he will serve as Assistant Medical Director of the Behavioral Health Clinic at Moody Outpatient Center, provide geriatric psychiatry outpatient services, supervise resident clinics, and be a member of the ECT team.

Our department had another impressive showing at the International Neuropsychological Society Annual Meeting in New Orleans, with multiple posters and invited talks by faculty as well as psychology graduate students, interns, and postdoctoral residents. View the photos.

Kaylee Davis-Bordovsky, M.D., spoke to the student body of the Young Women's STEAM Academy at Balch Springs with the Girls Empowered by Mavericks (GEM) Program. She was joined by Jasmine Thomas (center), the Assistant General Manager of the Dallas Wings. 

The Department was well represented at the Texas Alzheimer's Research and Care Consortium (TARCC) 2025 Scientific Symposium. Faculty, trainees, and staff participated in poster presentations and other activities to hear the latest on Alzheimer’s disease and related work. View the photos.

Department Town Hall

Wednesday, February 26, 2025, via Zoom

Check your calendar for the Zoom link.

Mental Health Advocacy Day

Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Austin, Texas

This event is a great way to learn about advocacy and to meet with state representatives during the 2025 Texas legislative session about issues related to psychiatry. 

This event will be all day and starting early in the morning (time TBD). Email Dr. Lessley Chiriboga for more information and details regarding transportation.

Ethics Grand Rounds

Tuesday, March 11, 2025; 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. via Zoom

Polygenic Embryo Screening: Ethical Challenges

Vardit Ravitsky, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of The Hastings Center

Metrocare Inaugural Research Symposium

Friday, April 11, 2025; 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Pegasus Park

As a part of Metrocare, The Altshuler Center for Education and Research (ACER) conducts and supports clinical research in real-world settings, driving treatment innovations that bring renewed hope to those in public mental health. The Symposium is open to students and professionals interested in sharing their research projects with the community.

Women's Health Research Initiative Spring Forum

Thursday, April 17, 2025; 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

South Campus: D1.602

The Women’s Health Research Initiative is a new interdisciplinary effort designed to connect basic, translational, and clinical researchers around common themes in women’s health. This forum is an opportunity to showcase the ongoing work in Women’s Health Research and provide a chance for members of the community to interact.