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About Us
Learn about our lab members!
Principal Investigators
Richard T. Liu is an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and licensed clinical psychologist. He is the Director of Suicide Research in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Director of Big Data Studies in the Depression Clinical and Research Program.
The primary focus of his research is on depression, suicide, and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in childhood through emerging adulthood, with a particular emphasis on characterizing dynamic processes of risk underlying onset and recurrence of these clinical concerns. His programmatic interests lie in advancing our understanding of depression, suicide, and NSSI from who is at risk to how and when they are most at risk, thereby directly informing risk assessment strategies and yielding potential candidates for clinical intervention. His work in these and related areas have been published in journals such as Lancet Psychiatry, JAMA Psychiatry, JAMA Pediatrics, and American Psychologist. He is an Associate Editor at Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science and Behavior Therapy, and he serves as a Consulting Editor at Clinical Psychological Science and Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. He has also served on expert panels focused on preadolescent suicide at the National Institute of Mental Health.
Taylor A. Burke is an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and licensed clinical psychologist. She is the Director of Pediatric Computational Health in the Center for Precision Psychiatry and Associate Director of Suicide Research in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital.
The primary aim of Dr. Burke’s research is to advance the prediction and prevention of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs) among youth and young adults. Dr. Burke uses novel methodologies and computational approaches to improve the identification of individuals at risk to better intervene and prevent SITBs. She has published over 70 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on the etiology of SITBs and related psychopathology. Dr. Burke holds a five-year NIMH career development award that focuses on using passive mobile sensing, adolescent sleep, and physical activity assessment, and advanced computational approaches to idiographic modeling to develop proximal risk models for increases in suicidal ideation. She also has other ongoing research supported by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the NIMH focused on leveraging computer vision to enhance suicide risk screening in pediatric health care settings. Her program of research has been nationally recognized for its contribution to child and adolescent psychological science by her receipt of the Future Directions Launch Award by the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Lauren Haliczer
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Lauren is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the MABL. Her fellowship is supported by an NIMH F32 award, in which she will explore negative social experiences (e.g., exclusion/rejection) and self-criticism as predictors of imminent risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors in the lab and everyday life. Lauren earned her Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where her research spanned the areas of suicidal and nonsuicidal self-injury, borderline personality disorder, emotion dysregulation, and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) under the guidance of Dr. Katie Dixon-Gordon. Lauren completed her clinical internship at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and has received clinical training in CBT and DBT to treat a range of mood, anxiety, and personality disorders in inpatient, partial hospital, and outpatient settings. Prior to completing her doctorate, Lauren earned her MA in clinical psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University, and her BS in psychology from Tulane University.
Naoise Mac Giollabhui
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Naoise is a postdoctoral fellow at the Depression Clinical and Research Program. His research investigates why cognitive functioning is disrupted in depression, why these cognitive difficulties persist in remitted depression and treatment options available to patients to address this debilitating symptom of depression. He is particularly interested in understanding the role played by the immune system in the etiology of depression and cognitive dysfunction. His program of research has been supported by the NIH and the American Psychological Foundation and has been nationally recognized through awards from the American Psychological Association and the Society of Clinical Psychology. He currently serves on the editorial board of Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.
Clinical Research Coordinators
Margarid Turnamian
Margarid (she/her) joined the Mood and Behavior Lab in 2020 after she received her B.A. in Psychology from Case Western Reserve University. She is passionate about how stress and trauma affect mental health, especially for people in marginalized communities. In her free time, Margarid loves doing yoga, cooking, and traveling.
Katie Lord
Katie (she/her) graduated with high honors from Michigan State University in 2020. Afterward, Katie went on to serve as a project coordinator and the lab manager of the Conversation Lab at Vanderbilt University, where she worked to design and coordinate NIH-funded research studies related to brain injury and brain disease. Katie aspires to pursue a doctorate in clinical psychology, researching the effects of adversity and trauma on emotional and cognitive development in adolescence. Katie has a particular interest in examining these issues in sexual and gender minority (SGM) youths. Outside of the lab, Katie enjoys yoga, reading, and playing with her dog (Macey) and cat (Winnie).
Serena Moghaddas
Serena (she/her) joined the Mood and Behavior Lab in June of 2023 after graduating from Rutgers University - New Brunswick with a B.A. in Psychology and minors in Sociology and Women's and Gender Studies. Serena is interested in understanding risk factors for suicide and self-injury, both physical and digital, among sexual and gender minorities, specifically focusing on how familial and societal expectations may impact mental health outcomes for adolescents with these identities. In her free time, she enjoys reading mystery books, painting, and exploring new cities.
Olivia Bishop
Olivia (she/her) joined the Mood and Behavior Lab in May of 2023 after graduating from Temple University with a B.A. in Psychology, a minor in French, and a certificate in American Sign Language. Olivia hopes to eventually pursue a career in child and adolescent clinical psychology, specifically focusing on the neurocognitive and immunological underpinnings of mood disorders and associated outcomes, like suicide and non-suicidal self-injury. In her free time, she loves to read, drink tea, and pet every dog and cat she can find!
Rotem Budagzad-Jacobson
Rotem Budagzad-Jacobson
Rotem (she/her) graduated summa cum laude from Bar-Ilan University, Israel in 2021. After graduation, Rotem joined the Anxiety & Mood Disorders Lab at the Yale Child Study Center, where she worked with children and adolescents for NIMH-funded clinical trials for anxiety treatment. There, she conducted research on the impact of irritability on family accommodation in anxious youth. Rotem is passionate about understanding how peer-related stress affects real-time changes in suicidal thoughts and behaviors in preteens and adolescents. Ultimately, Rotem aspires to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, hoping to engage in clinical work and contribute to the research of child and adolescent mental health. In her free time, Rotem enjoys kayaking, watching Disney movies, and going on hiking adventures with her dog, Mac.
Lab Volunteers
Kelly Kim
Kelly (she/her) is currently an undergraduate student at MIT and joined the Mood and Behavior Lab in 2023. Her passion for mental health led her to become co-chair of the Undergraduate Association’s Student Support and Wellness Committee and a Wellbeing Lab Assistant at MIT. In addition to pursuing her passion for mental health with hopes of working with soldiers and veterans in VA hospitals, she enjoys being a part of MIT’s Asian American Association and writing food reviews for the school newspaper, The Tech. Kelly also enjoys running, traveling, watching Marvel, and trying new restaurants.
Samadhi Wijethunga
Samadhi (she/her) joined the Mood and Behavior Lab during her second year at Northeastern University, where she is pursuing a degree in Behavioral Neuroscience. She is passionate about utilizing her academic background in neuroscience to explore the role of neurobiology in the development of mental health disorders. In the future, she anticipates determining methods to incorporate medical treatments and therapies to ameliorate and improve psychological well-being. In her free time, Samadhi loves catching up on her science book club’s latest read, obsessing over her Labrador, Sunny, engaging in musical theater performances, and writing articles for her school’s science magazine.
Qingxi (Tim) Jia
Tim (he/him) received a B.A. in Neuroscience from Princeton University. He is passionate about promoting child health and family life and understanding social determinants of health. He seeks to learn how to integrate social and healthcare systems to support transition points and mitigate risk factors in mental health. In his free time, Tim loves to read, sing, learn languages, and travel.
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Megan Chen
Megan (she/her) is currently an undergraduate student at New York University studying psychology and economics. She is interested in the psychological factors that confer risk for self-destructive behaviors, such as suicide, self-injury, and disordered eating. In her free time, Megan enjoys figure skating, journaling, and finding new study spots in New York City.
Lab Alumni & Former Mentees
Predoctoral Interns & Postdoctoral Fellows
Madelaine Abel, Ph.D. (Post-doctoral fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital)
Alexandra Bettis, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center)
Taylor Burke, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School)
Christina Cha, Ph.D. (Associate Professor at Columbia University)
Adrianna Crossing, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor at Northeastern University)
Hannah Lawrence, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor at Oregon State University)
Stephanie Steele, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor at Smith College)
Research Assistants & Undergraduate Honors Students
Shayna Cheek (Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Duke University; graduate mentor: David Goldston)
Nimesha Gerlus (M.D.-Ph.D. student in cognitive neuroscience at Duke University; graduate mentor: Kevin LaBar)
Evelyn Hernandez (Ph.D. student in clinical psychology at University of Rhode Island; graduate mentor: Hector Lopez-Vergara)
Jesús Hernández (Ph.D. student in clinical psychology at George Mason University; graduate mentor: Natasha Tonge)
Sunday Hull (Ph.D. student in clinical psychology at Old Dominion University; graduate mentor: Cassie Glenn)
Eva Kuzyk (Research Assistant at Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center)
Rachel Levin (Ph.D. student in clinical psychology at University of Rochester; graduate mentors: Liz Handley and Sheree Toth)
Carly Maitlin (Research Assistant at Columbia University)
Maya Massing Schaffer (Ph.D. in clinical psychology at UNC-Chapel Hill; graduate mentor: Mitch Prinstein)
Bridget Nestor (Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Vanderbilt University; graduate mentor: Judy Garber)
Christina Sanzari (Ph.D. student in clinical psychology at SUNY Albany; graduate mentor: Julie Hormes)
Katie Scopelliti (Psy.D. student in clinical psychology at George Washington University)
Ana Sheehan (Ph.D. student in clinical psychology at University of Delaware; graduate mentor: Naomi Sadeh)
Zoë Trout (Psy.D. student in clinical psychology at Baylor University)
Rachel Walsh (Ph.D. student in clinical psychology Temple University; graduate mentor: Lauren Alloy)
Anna Workman (Ph.D. student in clinical psychology at City College of New York)