Mentor Areas
There are several mentors available who are all clinical psychologists who are interested in the connections among sleep, circadian rhythms, and mental health. Most of our work is focused on patients with major depression or Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. We use a range of research methods including sleep studies, behavioral monitoring, cognitive tasks, and even genetics.
Description:
The overarching goal of the Sleep Neurobiology and Psychopathology lab is to better understand the relationship between sleep disturbance and mental health in order to inform the development of novel treatments. We are currently examining the role of sleep in both depression and PTSD using several cutting-edge approaches including neuroimaging, genetics, and the use of clinical trials. Dr. Philip Gehrman directs this program of research, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health and Veterans Health Administration. Within this overarching goal, we have developed several lines of research:
-What are the physiological parameters of sleep associated with trauma-related nightmares and how do these change with nightmare treatment?
-How can sleep interventions be used to improve mental health?
-How does sleep disturbance impact reward processes in depression?
While paid positions are possible, their availability will be dependent on student commitment, funds, etc and are not guaranteed.
Preferred Qualifications
None
Details:
Preferred Student Year
First-year, Second-Year, Junior, Senior
Volunteer
Yes
Yes indicates that faculty are open to volunteers.Paid
Yes
Yes indicates that faculty are open to paying students they engage in their research, regardless of their work-study eligibility.Work Study
Yes
Yes indicates that faculty are open to hiring work-study-eligible students.