Colleen A. Brenner

Colleen A. Brenner, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Loma Linda University and Director of Clinical Training for the PhD Program. Her research focuses on serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, with a particular emphasis on clinical neuropsychology, EEG analysis, and improving well-being in individuals with psychosis. She leads the Brain Potential Lab and has conducted multinational studies on schizotypal traits and EEG-based biomarkers for treatment response. Brenner holds a PhD in Psychology from Indiana University (2006) and is a licensed clinical psychologist in British Columbia (Canada). She actively contributes to professional organizations like the Society for Psychophysiological Research and the Canadian Psychological Association.

Her education includes a Doctorate in Psychology (2006) from Indiana University, Bloomington, followed by post-doctoral training in clinical neuropsychology and EEG methodologies. Her academic trajectory emphasizes translational research bridging neurophysiology and clinical practice.

Research interests center on neurophysiological mechanisms of mental disorders, including EEG analysis of auditory and visual processing deficits in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and applying machine learning to predict treatment outcomes. She investigates how resiliency factors like self-efficacy and social support mitigate negative health outcomes in individuals with serious mental illness.

Recent work highlights EEG-based biomarkers for antidepressant response (2020-2024), cross-cultural studies of schizotypy (2018-2020), and neural oscillations in sensory gating deficits (2016-2020). Her studies often integrate large datasets from international collaborations, emphasizing reproducibility in neuroimaging protocols.

Professional contributions include over 60 peer-reviewed articles spanning electroencephalography, psychosis treatment, and cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp). She has advised multiple trainees through the Clinical Psychology PhD program and maintains active clinical practice alongside research.

Labs/Teams: Director of the Brain Potential Lab at Loma Linda University, collaborating with the Canadian Biomarker Integration Network in Depression (CAN-BIND) and International Consortium for Schizotypy Research.