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Congratulations to the Winners of the Poster Competition at the Extravaganza!

Posted on October 30, 2025

Thanks to all who participated in this year’s Psychiatry Research Extravaganza! It was a great success and with a lot of fantastic science presented. The results for both our Traditional poster competition and the People’s Choice competition are in.

Chicago Parks District (CPD) Guided Mindfulness Walk

Posted on September 09, 2025

ACCESS for Mental Health Lab members collaborate with the Chicago Parks District (CPD) for another staff wellness event, this time in the Osaka Garden, where Melanie Tran, MA, Elyse Shenberger, PhD, Margarete Wallner, MD, and Tara Mehta, PhD, led a guided mindfulness walk for CPD staff focused on teaching everyday skills for mental hea

Dr. Suarez was quoted in a news article titled: The surprising link between childhood trauma, weight gain and obesity

Posted on September 09, 2025

Dr. Suarez, along with a long time patient, were interviewed for a news article describing the links between childhood trauma and obesity Excerpts from the article:

Drs. Ajilore, Leow, Rasenick and colleagues published an article in Molecular Psychiatry

Posted on September 09, 2025

Previous studies have shown that the heterotrimeric G protein, Gsalpha (Gsα), is ensconced predominantly in lipid rafts in acutely depressed subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD) in contrast to healthy controls...

Dr. Ajilore honored by the Illinois Psychiatric Society

Posted on September 09, 2025

Dr. Ajilore has been nominated and selected to receive the 2025 Illinois Psychiatric Society (IPS) Outstanding Achievement in Scholarly Activities Award

Dr. Stiles-Shields awarded the ISRII "Rising Star Award"

Posted on September 09, 2025

Dr. Colleen Stiles-Shields was awarded the "Rising Star Award" by the International Society for Research on Internet Interventions (ISRII). The award was presented to her at the ISRII Annual Conference in San Diego, CA, in early August 2025.

Blind Mice, African Clawed Frogs, and the Missing Link Between Circadian Rhythms and Psychiatry

Posted on September 09, 2025

Saali A, Ross DA, Cooper JJ, Novick AM. Biol Psychiatry

Dr. Dana Rusch was featured in The New Yorker article 'What therapists treating immigrants hear”

Posted on September 09, 2025

Dr. Dana Rusch was featured in The New Yorker article 'What therapists treating immigrants hear.” July 1, 2025. The New Yorker.  

New recent publication from Peace Lab!

Posted on September 09, 2025

Dr. Suor, Ms. Mueller, and collaborators Katie Burkhouse and Stewart Shankman had a new study accepted for publication in Developmental Psychobiology.

The American Brain Coalition has held two recent Congressional Briefings (March and June)

Posted on September 09, 2025

The American Brain Coalition has held two recent Congressional Briefings (March and June), both featuring BRAIN director John Ngai, PhD: One focused on advanced technology for depression and the second for movement disorders. Both events were emceed by ABC chair, Mark Rasenick, PhD and were attended by several members of Congress and congressional staff.

Dr. Dana Rusch was invited to co-present to the Student Mental Health & Wellness Division of the Los Angeles Unified School District

Posted on September 09, 2025

The virtual panel discussion entitled "Every encounter matters: Supporting Immigrant Student Mental Health in Schools" focused on building trust, resilience and well-being among immigrant origin students experiencing distress in the current sociopolitical climate.

$8.3M federal grant extends UIC research on alcohol use disorder

Posted on September 09, 2025

The University of Illinois Chicago’s Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics has been awarded an $8.3 million five-year grant renewal to continue its research on alcohol use disorder.

Dr. Rusch was featured in The Guardian speaking about the impact of immigration enforcement on students and children

Posted on September 09, 2025

Dr. Rusch was interviewed to speak about the role of school settings and teachers in promoting resilience in the face of adversity.

Sofia Isabella Lostaunau participated in the Summer Research Opportunity Program

Posted on September 09, 2025

Sofia Isabella Lostaunau, an undergraduate research assistant with the ACCESS for Mental Health Lab, participated in the Summer Research Opportunity Program under the mentorship of Dr. Michael Meinzer.

Drs. Kyle Jennette, Neil Pliskin, and Christopher Holden, in collaboration with Santosh Sarah of the UIH Sickle Cell Center, has received a one-year renewal grant through the Illinois Department of Public Health

Posted on September 09, 2025

Drs.

Adapting monolingual digital mental health resources for multilingual families: Lessons from the TeACH System implementation

Posted on September 09, 2025

Flash talk presented at the 2025 Society for Digital Mental Health Virtual Annual Conference Abstracts: Advancing Digital Mental Health in a Rapidly Changing World, Virtual.

Dr. Dana Rusch was mentioned in an El Paso Matters news article: ‘We had a different life’: Deportation forces El Paso family, disabled citizen children into uncertainty across the border

Posted on September 09, 2025

Dr. Dana Rusch was interviewed to provide information about the impact of detention and deportation on children's mental health and development.

The MATTERS Lab Presents at Multiple Conferences

Posted on September 09, 2025

The MATTERS Lab presented at the Annual Conferences for the Society for Digital Mental Health, International Society for Research on Internet Interventions, and the American Psychological Association.

Dr. Judith Cook’s Center on Disabilities and Rehabilitation has been awarded another 5-year Center

Posted on September 09, 2025

Dr.

Prevalence of Chronic Physical Conditions and Physical Multimorbidity Among Young Adults with Serious Mental Health Conditions

Posted on September 09, 2025

From Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal with authors: Jonikas, J. A., Aranda, F., Burke-Miller, J. K., Sabella, K., Mullen, M. G., Davis, M., & Cook, J. A. (2025).