Carrie E Bearden

Carrie E. Bearden is a Professor-in-Residence in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), David Geffen School of Medicine. She directs the Bearden Lab and is affiliated with the UCLA Integrative Center for Neurogenetics. Dr. Bearden is a leading researcher in neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly focusing on psychosis spectrum disorders and genetic conditions like 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

Dr. Bearden earned her BA in Psychology from UC Berkeley and her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. Her educational background has positioned her at the forefront of translational research bridging psychological science with neurobiological mechanisms.

Her research interests span neurodevelopment, neurogenetic disorders, brain development, and psychosis spectrum disorders. Dr. Bearden's work particularly focuses on understanding the neural and genetic mechanisms underlying psychosis risk, with special attention to 22q11.2 deletion syndrome as a model for studying the developmental trajectory of schizophrenia. Her research employs multimodal approaches including neuroimaging, genetic analysis, and longitudinal clinical assessment to identify early biomarkers of psychosis risk.

Analysis of Dr. Bearden's recent publications (2024-2025) reveals a strong focus on the Accelerating Medicines Partnership® Schizophrenia Program, where she examines digital health technologies, biomarkers, neuroimaging correlates, and clinical assessment tools for early psychosis detection. Her work spans multiple disciplines including neuroscience, genetics, psychiatry, and data science, with particular emphasis on understanding how genetic variations influence brain structure and function in relation to psychosis risk.

• Dreem Coup de Coeur Award, Sleep Research Society, 2022
• George N. Thompson Award for Distinguished Service, Society of Biological Psychiatry (team award), 2022
• Brain Research Institute HW Magoun Distinguished Lecture, UCLA, 2022
• Clarivate Analytics Most highly cited researchers (top 1%), 2021
• 100 in 100 Honoree: 100 Trailblazing Women of UCLA Health, 2020
• Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, 2019
• Joel Elkes Research Award, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 2017
• Fellow, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 2016
• Joanne and George Miller Family Endowed Term Chair, UCLA, 2015-2018

Dr. Bearden has been instrumental in large-scale collaborative research initiatives, particularly serving as a key investigator in the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study (NAPLS) consortium and the Accelerating Medicines Partnership® Schizophrenia Program. Her work has been supported by numerous NIH grants and she has made significant contributions to understanding the developmental trajectories of psychosis risk. She actively mentors junior researchers and collaborates with international teams to advance early intervention strategies for psychosis.

Dr. Bearden leads the Bearden Lab at UCLA, which focuses on neurogenetic disorders and psychosis risk. She is also affiliated with the UCLA Integrative Center for Neurogenetics, where her team employs advanced neuroimaging and genetic techniques to study brain development in high-risk populations. Her laboratory work bridges basic science with clinical applications, aiming to develop early intervention strategies for individuals at risk of developing psychotic disorders.