VCU main page Psychiatry Department main page
VCU Logo
Nav Background
Header
left margin


The Department of Psychiatry has a broad, diverse, and internationally recognized series of research programs, spanning many areas of modern psychiatry. These include basic behavioral science endeavors, outcome studies, and clinical projects with immediate applicability. Residents receive didactic instruction in research methods and design, and are welcome to participate in a wide variety of research projects, with faculty mentorship and support.

Strengths
  • Ranked nationally in the top quartile of research funding for psychiatry departments
  • Major interdisciplinary programs with such departments as Human Genetics, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics, Pharmacology, Neurology, and Psychology
  • Special institutes for psychiatric genetics, mood disorders, autism, women's health and child and family studies
  • More than 200 publications in major journals annually
  • Publication of several leading textbooks
Kenneth KendlerPsychiatric Genetics Research Program
  • Extensive clinical field studies of psychiatric illness in Ireland, Sweden, New Zealand and Virginia
  • Statistical genetics expertise from structural equation modeling
  • Linkage analysis of complex traits
  • Molecular genetics research in new, high throughput genotyping and sequencing laboratory
  • First large-scale twin study of a range of psychiatric disorders (depression, alcoholism, anxiety, eating disorders).
  • Localization of potential susceptibility genes for schizophrenia on 6p, 8p, and 5p.
  • Principal Faculty
    • Sam Chen, Ph.D.
    • Kenneth S. Kendler, M.D.
    • Michael Neal, Ph.D.
    • Edwin van den Oord, Ph.D.
    • Roy Pickens, Ph.D.
    • Brien Riley, Ph.D.
Commonwealth Institute for Child & Family Studies
  • Special child/adolescent research facility funded by the Commonwealth of Virginia
  • Two nationally published journals based on-site
  • Multi-center study to investigate the safety and effectiveness of paroxetine in the treatment of children and adolescent outpatients with OCD
  • The safety and efficacy of risperidone vs. placebo in conduct disorders in mild, moderate and borderline mentally retarded children
  • Multi-center study to investigate the safety and efficacy of fluoxetine in children and adolescents with OCD
  • Principal Faculty
    • Robert Cohen, Ph.D.
    • Janet Hill, M.S.
    • Julie Linker, Ph.D.
    • Bela Sood, M.D., Medical Director, Pediatric Psychopharmacology Research Unit
Division of Addiction Psychiatry
  • Chronic Pain and Addiction
  • HIV Research
  • Virginia Addictions Training Center
  • Physician Screening for Addiction Liability
  • Principal Faculty
    • Janet Knisely, Ph.D.
    • Mike Weaver, Ph.D.
VCU Mood Disorders Institute
  • Multidisciplinary, conjoint program of VCU Health System's Psychiatry and VCU Psychology
  • National studies on psychopharmacology and psychotherapy of chronic depression and anxiety disorders
  • Susan G. Kornstein, M.D. (Medical Director): expert on gender issues in depression and pre-menstrual depression
John HettemaInpatient Psychiatry Research
  • Biological heterogeneity of schizophrenia
  • Phenomenology of schizophrenia
  • Psychopharmacology of schizophrenia
  • Psychopharmacology of bipolar disorder
  • Geriatric mental health in nursing homes
  • Animal assisted therapy
  • Brain imaging (MRI) in schizophrenia
  • Childhood relations of sexual abuse survivors
  • Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
  • Comorbidity of substance abuse and mental illness
  • Principal Faculty
    • Sandra Barker, Ph.D.
    • Sultan Lakhani, M.D.
    • Anand Pandurangi, M.D.
    • Alexandru Trutia, M.D.
James LevensonConsultation/Liaison Research
  • Randomized controlled trial of psychiatric consultation in medical inpatients
  • Development of the "PACT" rating instrument, widely used in evaluating organ transplant candidates
  • Psychological aspects of living organ donation
  • Development of "Rate of Forgetting" test to distinguish geriatric depression from early dementia
  • Randomized controlled trial of "Garren Bubble" to treat obesity
  • First meta-analysis of behavioral treatments for insomnia
  • Development of brief cognitive test for delirium
  • Assessment of delirium in ICUs and in patients with traumatic brain injury
  • Assessment of chronic pain
  • Principal Faculty
    • James Culbert, Ph.D.
    • Robert Hart, Ph.D.
    • James L. Levenson, M.D.
    • Mary Ellen Olbrisch, Ph.D.
    • James Wade, Ph.D.




right margin
bottom margin

Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Dept of Psychiatry

Last Update: August, 2012 according to departmental policy
1200 East Broad Street, P.O. Box 980710, Richmond, VA 23298-0710
Email Webmaster