معرفی
Hilary Marusak is a tenured Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at Wayne State University School of Medicine. She serves as the Director of the Division of Cannabinoids in Neurodevelopment (CANDID) and the Trauma History Investigation of Neurodevelopment in Kids (THINK) Lab. Her research focuses on childhood trauma, stress, and their impact on brain development in children and adolescents, with particular emphasis on pediatric anxiety disorders, depression, and PTSD.
Dr. Marusak's educational background includes a dissertation titled "Childhood Trauma and Emotion Processing Neurocircuitry" under the supervision of Dr. Moriah Thomason. Her research employs various neuroscientific techniques including fMRI, psychophysiology (EEG/ERP, EDA, EMG), behavior, and intervention studies.
Her research interests span several interconnected domains:
- The impact of stress and trauma during childhood on brain development
- Pediatric anxiety disorders, depression, and PTSD
- The endocannabinoid system and its relationship to mental health
- Effects of cannabis and cannabinoids on the developing brain
- Behavioral and pharmacological interventions targeting the endocannabinoid system
- Air pollution and its effects on adolescent brain development
Dr. Marusak's recent publications reveal a strong focus on the intersection of trauma exposure, endocannabinoid signaling, and neural circuitry in youth. Her work increasingly examines how environmental factors like air pollution and cannabis exposure affect developing brains, with particular attention to fear processing, anxiety, and stress response systems. She has made significant contributions to understanding how the endocannabinoid system modulates emotional processing in children and adolescents.
Among her notable achievements:
- Named a 2024 Rising Star in Mental Health Research
- Winner of the Rosalind Franklin Society Special Award in Science for endocannabinoid research
- Principal investigator or co-PI of studies funded by NIH, One Mind, and Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency
Dr. Marusak is actively involved in science communication as the co-founder of Science Policy Network-Detroit and host of the BrainSTEM podcast. She teaches courses including Fundamentals of Neuroimaging and Science Advocacy and Public Engagement, demonstrating her commitment to training the next generation of scientists while engaging with the public about neuroscience.
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