Candice C. Biernesser

Candice C. Biernesser, PhD, LCSW, MPH, serves as Assistant Professor of Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh. Her research leverages technology to address suicide risk and mental health disparities among underserved adolescents, with emphasis on sexual and gender minority youth and youth of color.

Her educational background includes:

• PhD in Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Research training, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Dr. Biernesser specializes in digital suicide prevention, investigating social media's mental health impacts and developing interventions like chatbots for cyberbullying victims. Her work prioritizes health equity through accessible technological solutions for marginalized youth populations.

Recent publications (2018-2021) demonstrate consistent innovation in digital mental health tools for suicidal adolescents, featuring ecological momentary assessment, automated media monitoring, and mobile applications. These studies frequently incorporate youth and family perspectives while targeting underserved groups during critical periods like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key recognitions include:

• NIMH K23 Career Development Award
• YourMomCares Research Award for LGBTQ+ suicide prevention

She leads NIMH-funded K23 research developing chatbot interventions for cyberbullying-related suicide risk and holds American Foundation for Suicide Prevention grants. As an ETUDES Center (P50) co-investigator, she contributes to large-scale suicide prevention initiatives under Dr. David Brent's leadership.

Dr. Biernesser collaborates with the nationally recognized Services for Teens at Risk (STAR)-Center, integrating clinical suicide prevention services with cutting-edge digital research at the University of Pittsburgh.