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.

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

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.

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.  

$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.

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.

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 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.

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. Carbray honored with induction as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing

Posted on September 09, 2025

Dr. Carbray is honored by being inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing on October 18 in Washington, DC.

New PREMIER T32 postdoctoral fellow - Dr. Ali Zax

Posted on September 09, 2025

The ACCESS lab has the pleasure of welcoming Ali Zax, PhD, who is beginning as a PREMIER T32 postdoctoral fellow through the Department of Medicine! UIC’s T32 fellowship provides postdoctoral fellows who aspire to be independent researchers or team scientists an opportunity to develop their knowledge on translational science. Ali will be assisting Dr.

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).

Dr. John Davis named the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Awardee from the Schizophrenia International Research Society

Posted on September 09, 2025

Dr. John M Davis is professor of psychiatry at the University of IL at Chicago. He began his career as a clinical associate at NIH, and, with William Bunney, reviewed evidence that biogenic amines may be decreased in depression, which was published one month after Dr. Schildkraut’s seminal paper. Dr.

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