Kristen Eckstrand

Dr. Kristen Eckstrand is a Clinical Professor at the University of Pittsburgh, leading research on the impact of trauma and adversity on adolescent mental health, with a focus on marginalized communities. Her work integrates neuroscience, clinical psychology, and community-based approaches to improve mental health treatments for children and adolescents. The lab (PANDA) emphasizes understanding brain development in depression and anxiety through neuroimaging and longitudinal studies.

Research priorities include trauma-related symptomatology, LGBTQ+ resilience, and neurobiological mechanisms underpinning mental health disparities. Students in her lab engage in MRI data collection, literature reviews, and directed research projects, with mentorship toward scholarly publication.

Applications require a 3.0 GPA, coursework in Psychology/Statistics, and prior research experience. Recruitment emphasizes alignment between student goals and lab mission, with mentorship structured around weekly meetings and directed research rotations.

Lab activities are coordinated through the MEND Lab, focusing on translational research to bridge clinical practice and neuroscientific discovery.