Albert E. Kent Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Associate Professor of Cellular and Molecular Physiology; Director of Scientist Diversity and Inclusion, YSM Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Research at CMHC
Research is an integral part of the mission of Connecticut Mental Health Center. Research takes many forms at the Center, from basic neuroscience research in laboratories, to clinical trials, to in-depth qualitative research involving people receiving services.
Throughout CMHC, dozens of scientists from diverse fields are working to deepen our understanding of the underlying causes and mechanisms of mental illness and/or substance abuse, and to develop more effective treatments and policy approaches to support the millions of people worldwide who will face mental health and addiction problems in their lifetimes.
For more information about research at Connecticut Mental Health Center, please visit these links:
The Abraham Ribicoff Research Facilities
The Abraham Ribicoff Research Facilities conduct scientific research into the causes of, and treatments for, major psychiatric disorders.
The program consists of two interconnected parts: the Division of Molecular Psychiatry for basic science research; and the Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit specializing in clinical research with patients and healthy subjects.
A cooperative partnership between Yale University and the State of Connecticut, Ribicoff has been an integral part of Connecticut Mental Health Center since the Center’s founding in 1966.
Ribicoff’s mission is jointly supported by the State of Connecticut and through research grants obtained by Yale University faculty, making possible an innovative, cost-effective scientific program that has resulted in work of national and international scope and impact.
The program was named for Abraham A. Ribicoff, former Governor and U.S. Senator from Connecticut. Governor Ribicoff, along with other leaders of his time, notably Dr. Fritz Redlich, chairman of the Yale Psychiatry Department and future dean of the Yale School of Medicine, recognized the serious public and private burden of mental illness and envisioned an institution, Connecticut Mental Health Center, where clinical care would be combined with the rigorous pursuit of scientific knowledge for the benefit of humanity.
At Ribicoff, research activities are interwoven within a matrix of service and education. Ribicoff provides clinical care for patients through clinical trials and other investigations in which patients participate in the process of discovery and scientific advancement. Ribicoff researchers teach future leaders in the field including psychiatry residents, pre- and post-doctoral fellows, medical students, social work students, and nursing staff.
In an effort to inform the general public about the latest scientific advances in psychiatry, the program hosts an annual Neuroscience Symposium at the Yale School of Medicine.
Current Research
In the laboratories, numerous studies are underway:
- To understand the neurobiological basis of psychiatric conditions and symptoms;
- To identify genetic and biological markers of disease and treatment response;
- To understand the mechanism of current psychotropic drugs and study novel compounds as possible new treatments; and
- To collaborate with others to better understand the mechanisms of addiction.
Division of Molecular Psychiatry - Principal Investigators
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and of Neuroscience; Director, Minority Recruitment, Psychiatry Department; Director, Postdoctoral Affairs, Psychiatry Department
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry; Director, Yale Cocaine Research Clinic, Psychiatry; Inpatient Chief of the Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit (CNRU), Psychiatry; Medical Director, Forensic Drug Diversion Clinic (ForDD)
Harris Professor in the Child Study Center; Director and Co-Founder of the Pediatric Depression Clinic, Child Study Center; Co-Director of the T32 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Childhood Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Child Study Center; Associate Program Director, Albert J. Solnit Integrated Training Program, Child Study Center; Co-Director of the Tic and OCD Program, Child Study Center
Professor of Psychiatry and of Neuroscience; Deputy Director, Abraham Ribicoff Research Facilities, Psychiatry
Vikram Sodhi ’92 Professor of Psychiatry; Director Schizophrenia Neuropharmacology Research Group at Yale (SNRGY); Director, Neurobiological Studies Unit, VACHS; Director, VA-CMHC Schizophrenia Research Clinic; Director, Yale Center for the Science of Cannabis and Cannabinoids ; Chair, Research and Development Committee, VA Connecticut Healthcare System
Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry; Senior Research Scientist/Scho
Robert L. McNeil, Jr. Professor of Translational Research and Professor of Psychiatry, of Neuroscience, and of Psychology; Co-Director, Yale Center for Clinical Investigation; Chair, Psychiatry; Physician-in-Chief of Psychiatry, Yale New Haven Hospital; Director: NIAAA Center for the Translational Neuroscience of Alcoholism; Director, Clinical Neuroscience Division, VA National Center for PTSD
Professor of Psychiatry; Chair, Bridgeport Hospital, Department of Psychiatry
Charles B. G. Murphy Professor of Psychiatry and Professor in the Child Study Center, of Neuroscience and of Pharmacology; Director Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Psychiatry; Deputy Chair for Basic Science Research, Dept. of Psychiatry; Director, Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program
Elizabeth Mears and House Jameson Professor of Psychiatry; Deputy Chair for Translational Research, Psychiatry; Director, Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Psychiatry; Director, Yale Program for Psychedelic Science, Psychiatry; Director, Yale Center for Brain and Mind Health, Yale School of Medicine; Director, Yale OCD Research Clinic, Psychiatry; Director, Neuroscience Research Training Program, Yale Department of Psychiatry
George D. and Esther S. Gross Professor of Psychiatry; Director, Yale Depression Research Program; Co-Director, Yale New Haven Hospital Interventional Psychiatry Service
Charles B. G. Murphy Professor of Psychiatry, of Psychology and of Neuroscience
Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit - Principal Investigators
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry; Director, Yale Cocaine Research Clinic, Psychiatry; Inpatient Chief of the Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit (CNRU), Psychiatry; Medical Director, Forensic Drug Diversion Clinic (ForDD)
Harris Professor in the Child Study Center; Director and Co-Founder of the Pediatric Depression Clinic, Child Study Center; Co-Director of the T32 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Childhood Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Child Study Center; Associate Program Director, Albert J. Solnit Integrated Training Program, Child Study Center; Co-Director of the Tic and OCD Program, Child Study Center
Vikram Sodhi ’92 Professor of Psychiatry; Director Schizophrenia Neuropharmacology Research Group at Yale (SNRGY); Director, Neurobiological Studies Unit, VACHS; Director, VA-CMHC Schizophrenia Research Clinic; Director, Yale Center for the Science of Cannabis and Cannabinoids ; Chair, Research and Development Committee, VA Connecticut Healthcare System
Robert L. McNeil, Jr. Professor of Translational Research and Professor of Psychiatry, of Neuroscience, and of Psychology; Co-Director, Yale Center for Clinical Investigation; Chair, Psychiatry; Physician-in-Chief of Psychiatry, Yale New Haven Hospital; Director: NIAAA Center for the Translational Neuroscience of Alcoholism; Director, Clinical Neuroscience Division, VA National Center for PTSD
Professor of Psychiatry; Chair, Bridgeport Hospital, Department of Psychiatry
Elizabeth Mears and House Jameson Professor of Psychiatry; Deputy Chair for Translational Research, Psychiatry; Director, Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Psychiatry; Director, Yale Program for Psychedelic Science, Psychiatry; Director, Yale Center for Brain and Mind Health, Yale School of Medicine; Director, Yale OCD Research Clinic, Psychiatry; Director, Neuroscience Research Training Program, Yale Department of Psychiatry
George D. and Esther S. Gross Professor of Psychiatry; Director, Yale Depression Research Program; Co-Director, Yale New Haven Hospital Interventional Psychiatry Service