Kristin Bigos

Kristin Bigos, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine, Psychiatry, and Pharmacology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She also holds an appointment in Physiology, Pharmacology, and Therapeutics, reflecting her interdisciplinary research in neuropsychiatric drug development and precision medicine for mental illness.

Education:

• B.S. in Premedicine, Pennsylvania State University, 2001
• Ph.D. in Clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, 2007
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Clinical Brain Disorders Branch, National Institute of Mental Health

Dr. Bigos's research centers on developing targeted treatments for mental illness, with a strong emphasis on cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. Her lab uses functional MRI (pharmacoMRI) as a biomarker to evaluate neural effects of novel therapeutics. She investigates how patient-specific factors—such as genetics, sex, and race—affect drug metabolism and clinical response, aiming to improve dosing and selection of antipsychotics and antidepressants. Her work bridges clinical pharmacology, neuroscience, and psychiatric therapeutics.

Her recent publications reflect a trend in integrating neuroimaging with pharmacogenetics to identify biomarkers for treatment response. Key areas include the neural impact of nimodipine on working memory, genetic influences on antipsychotic clearance (e.g., CYP3A43 and olanzapine), and the role of ion channels (e.g., KCNH2) in differential drug response. These studies support a precision medicine framework in psychiatry.

Scientific Awards:

• Catalyst Award, Johns Hopkins University (2020)
• W. Leigh Thompson, MD Excellence in Research Award (2016)
• Emerging Women's Leadership Program, JHU School of Medicine (2016)
• NCDEU New Investigator Award (2013)
• ACNP Young Investigator Travel Award (2011)
• Top Poster Award, Society of Biological Psychiatry (2010)
• Fellows Award for Research Excellence, NIH (2010)

Dr. Bigos has been the principal investigator on clinical trials related to cognitive enhancement and neuropsychiatric pharmacology. She leads the Bigos Lab, which focuses on identifying biomarkers to personalize psychiatric treatment. She previously worked as an Investigator at the Lieber Institute for Brain Development. Her affiliations include the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Society of Biological Psychiatry, and the American Society of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. She chairs the Mental Health and Addiction Community at Johns Hopkins.

Laboratory and Research Team: The Bigos Lab employs a multidisciplinary approach combining functional neuroimaging, pharmacokinetics, and genetics to advance neuropsychiatric therapeutics. The lab is actively involved in translational research, with ongoing studies on drug effects on brain circuitry and individual variability in treatment response.