Research Assistant Positions: Psychiatry and Psychology/Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
Dr. Emily Belleau and Dr. Diego Pizzagalli, Laboratory for Affective and Translation Research (LATN) and Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research (CDASR), McLean Hospital / Harvard Medical School
fall 2019


Volunteer positions are available in the Laboratory for Affective and Translational Neuroscience (LATN), at McLean Hospital, directed by Diego A. Pizzagalli, Ph.D. LATN is part of McLean’s Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, which embraces a multi-disciplinary approach to improve our understanding of the psychological, environmental, and neurobiological factors associated with affective disorders (http://cdasr.mclean.harvard.edu/). We are currently seeking volunteers to help with a study in which we are examining the impact of stress on neurobiology in adolescents, and what makes some teens more vulnerable to experiencing depression. Adolescence is a particular sensitive window of development that is marked by heightened stress reactivity and vulnerability to developing mental health problems, such as depression. Accordingly, understanding stress-related neural dysfunction may be a valuable pathway for identifying individuals at risk for prolonged/recurrent major depressive episodes and facilitating ways to prevent MDD relapse at a critical developmental stage. With the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we are examining neural functioning before, during, and after stress in female adolescents with and without MDD. Another aim is to investigate whether stress-related neural abnormalities in those with MDD predict changes in depressive symptoms three-month post-scan. Understanding neural dysfunction related to poor stress recovery in adolescent MDD may have implications for establishing MDD biomarkers that lead to earlier detection and intervention. Responsibilities: Volunteers will be involved in all aspects of the research including participant recruitment, observing and conducting phone screening, helping run participants through the study pipeline including conducting informed consent and guiding teen participants through the “mock scanner” to help make them comfortable with the scanning environment, as well as database management. The opportunity to learn and conduct data analyses are also available (questionnaire data, behavioral data, fMRI) , but will require a greater level of time commitment to the lab in order to be trained on these types of analyses. Requirements: Candidates must be highly motivated and reliable. You will receive in-depth training in all the skills you’ll need to contribute to the research project. Our research focuses on humans with clinical mental health concerns, so experience working with human subjects in a research or therapeutic setting is preferred. Experience conducting laboratory research in any discipline will also be desirable. Additional Information: Contact information: PI: Emily Belleau, Ph.D. and Diego Pizzagalli, Ph.D. will serve as supervisors. Dr. Belleau is a clinical psychologist and researcher. She is an Instructor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and an Assistant Neuroscientist at McLean Hospital. Dr. Pizzagalli is a Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and a Board of Honors Tutor member in the Psychology Department at FAS. He is the Director of the Laboratory for Affective and Translation Research (LATN), and the Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research (CDASR) at McLean Hospital, which is where the research volunteer will work. McLean is the primary psychiatric teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, and is recognized as the #1 Best Psychiatric Hospital in the country by U.S. News and World Report. Learning outcomes: laboratory skills, research skills such as study design, data analysis methods, presentations, and scientific writing. Specific learning outcomes will vary depending on your time commitment and on what interests and talents you bring with you. Time commitment: It is expected that volunteers will work 8-15 hours a week in the lab. Students will receive a considerable amount of training, so preference is given to applicants who can return for more than one semester. Traveling to and from McLean Hospital takes an additional 35 minutes via public transportation, so students should consider whether this can fit in their schedule before they apply. Mentoring: Mentoring is an important part of the lab’s mission. Students will work directly and continuously with Dr. Belleau, under the guidance of Dr. Pizzagalli. Student stipend: Our laboratory cannot provide any payment. Students may apply to a variety of Harvard resources for supplemental financial support. Course credit: Students may apply for course credit in PSY 910r or Neuro 98r. Subject Area: Clinical Psychology; Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. Keywords: adolescents, depression, brain imaging, stress, resilience. Contact for applicants questions: David Crowley, Manager of Lab Research Operations, 617-855-4432, djcrowley@mclean.harvard.edu, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill St., Belmont, MA, 02478. To Apply: Please visit the “Current Openings” page on the lab’s web site at https://cdasr.mclean.harvard.edu/about/current-openings-2/to download the LATN Student Visitor Application form, and then send the completed form along with a copy of your CV to David Crowley at djcrowley@mclean.harvard.edu. (posted 9/2019)