Somer Bishop

Somer Bishop is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, affiliated with the Weill Institute for Neurosciences. She is a clinical psychologist specializing in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), with expertise in diagnostic assessment, symptom differentiation, and lifespan development.

• Education:
  • B.A. in Psychology (University of Michigan, 2001)
  • M.A. in Clinical Psychology (University of Michigan, 2003)
  • Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (University of Michigan, 2006)
  • Postdoctoral Fellowships in Clinical Research (University of Michigan, 2007; University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2009)

Her research focuses on behavioral phenotyping, differential diagnosis, and moderators of ASD symptoms (e.g., sex, age, IQ). Recent work includes autism diagnostic tools, social communication measures, and contextual influences on psychological health.

Key grants include NIH R01HD093012 for developing standardized social-communication assessments and DoD P0540214 on social experiences in autism. She has received awards such as the NICHD Postdoctoral Fellowship and James McKeen Cattell Award Nomination.

Dr. Bishop leads the UCSF Center for ASD and NDDs, collaborating with institutions like the NIH, DoD, and iPSYCH Consortium. Her lab addresses gaps in autism diagnosis, genetic associations, and mental health outcomes for autistic individuals.