معرفی
Deanna Barch is the Vice Dean of Research and Gregory B. Couch Professor of Psychiatry at Washington University in St. Louis, with dual appointments as Professor in the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences and the Department of Radiology. She is a leading researcher in the neurobiological basis of psychiatric disorders, particularly schizophrenia and depression.
- PhD, MA: University of Illinois
- BA: Northwestern University
Her research focuses on the interplay between cognition, emotion, and brain function, aiming to identify mechanisms underlying deficits in these areas in mental illnesses. She employs functional MRI, structural MRI, and cognitive neuroscience methods to study disturbances in cognitive control and emotional processing in clinical and at-risk populations. A major emphasis of her work is the impact of early adversity (poverty, stress, healthcare disparities) on brain development and subsequent mental health risks.
The five most recent publications highlight her work on early childhood depression, psychotic-like experiences in children, early adversity effects on brain connectivity, transdiagnostic neural mechanisms of cognition, and negative symptoms in schizophrenia. These studies integrate neuroimaging, behavioral assessments, and genomic initiatives to advance preventative strategies.
Scientific Awards:
- 2024 Sarnat International Prize in Mental Health (NAM)
- Lieber Prize for Schizophrenia Research (Brain & Behavior Research Foundation)
- 2023 Gold Medal Award (Society of Biological Psychiatry)
Barch actively mentors early-career scientists and leads interdisciplinary initiatives. She co-directs the Cognitive Control and Psychopathology Laboratory and directs the Conte Center for the Neuroscience of Mental Illness, fostering collaboration between psychological and biomedical research.
