Brady Nelson

Dr. Brady Nelson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Stony Brook University, specializing in clinical affective neuroscience. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago (2013). His primary research examines the neural mechanisms underlying anxiety disorders and depression, focusing on reward sensitivity and unpredictable threat reactivity in developmental populations. Key methodologies include EEG, fMRI, and psychophysiological measures.

Current projects include the iPANDA longitudinal study tracking reward sensitivity and depressive symptoms in adolescent girls. Dr. Nelson has secured $9.1 million in federal research funding since 2018, including NIH grants for studies on psychopathology biomarkers and pandemic mental health impacts. He directs the Laboratory for Clinical Affective Neuroscience and has authored over 80 peer-reviewed articles.

His work emphasizes translational neuroscience, bridging basic research to clinical applications for mental health prevention and intervention. Active grants include investigations into maternal parenting interventions and the neurobiological foundations of internalizing disorders. Dr. Nelson advises on graduate studies but will not review applications for the 2025-2026 academic year.