Amy Przeworski, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)
I am interested in factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders in children, adolescents and adults. These factors include interpersonal correlates of anxiety, cognitive factors, and behavioral factors. I also develop novel treatments for anxiety disorders. I mostly work with individuals with OCD, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, and separation anxiety disorder.
I’m also interested in the experiences of minority individuals, including LGBTQ individuals and racial and ethnic minorities. Minority individuals often experience discrimination, an experience that is associated with increased stress and psychological symptoms. I am interested in what factors buffer the experience of discrimination in minority individuals and are associated with resilience and adaptive coping.
The studies that we do in the lab are designed to help improve the understanding of the development and treatment of stress and anxiety disorders as well as factors associated with adaptive coping with stressors.
Please see our list of current studies about anxiety disorders and LGBTQ individuals if you may be interested in participating in some of our research studies.
Graduate Students
Elisa Borrero (she/her/hers)
Broadly, I am interested in exploring the effects of attentional and behavioral factors on the development of anxiety, and how these effects may vary or be moderated by inclusion in sexual, racial, and ethnic groups who commonly feel the distinct and profound effects of social, economic, and political marginalization. Additionally, I am interested in exploring buffering factors that may contribute to resilience and coping in minority individuals in order to develop more effective interventions.
Emily Peterson (she/her/hers)
My research interests include the development, maintenance, and treatment of internalizing disorders across the lifespan. I am especially interested in the factors that contribute to anxiety and depression in members of marginalized populations, particularly in minority and LGBTQ individuals. It is my ultimate goal to increase understanding of the unique and intersectional experiences of marginalized individuals in order to more effectively tailor interventions.
Julie (she/her/hers) or (they/them/theirs)
My research interests are in studying mood and anxiety disorders among adolescents, particularly stress-related factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of these psychiatric conditions. Further, I am interested in adapting psychotherapy treatments to meet the needs of marginalized populations, including LGBTQ+ youth.
Our phenomenal undergraduate/post baccalaureate research team consists of
Tiffany Mei (she/her/hers)
I am interested in factors that contribute to anxiety disorders, specifically in Asian American children and adolescents. I am also interested in autism within the Asian American community and the related cultural considerations in diagnostics and treatment. I am currently working with graduate student Hailey Chu on her master’s project: Values and Attitudes Towards Psychological Symptoms. I also contribute to the DRAMA Project.
Mikaela Elliott (she/her/hers)
My research interest focuses on enhancing existing treatments and developing novel ones for mood disorders, including anxiety and depression. Additionally, I am passionate about expanding mental health services and access to underserved communities and working to develop and maintain a healthy bi-directional relationship between researchers and the communities they serve.
Anna Herbert (she/her/hers) or (they/them/theirs)
I am interested in the treatment of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents, particularly, LGBTQ+ children and adolescents. I am also interested in trauma and how that affects the development of children’s brains and behaviors. Ultimately I would love to work in developing treatments for underserved populations.
Janvi Ramchandra (they/them/theirs)
I am interested in the psychological sciences, especially working with underrepresented groups. I am passionate about psychiatry and researching anxiety and mood disorders. I have worked on many studies so far including the Discrimination Study, Transgender vs. Genderfluid Study, Acculturation in Latinx Adolescents Study, and others. Generally, I am interested in researching treatments and ways to improve mental health in children and young adults.
Lily Crouch (she/her/hers)
Broadly, my interests include development of mood disorders, substance use disorders, and the environmental/social factors which influence both. I’m particularly interested in adolescent and adult populations. I am currently involved in the DRAMA Study, and I’ve assisted with the Values and Attitudes Study.
Anna Isberg (she/her/hers)
I am interested in research surrounding anxiety disorders and disorders involving reward system dysfunction as it relates to maladaptive coping mechanisms. I am fascinated by the underlying biological mechanisms of psychopathology, and the ways in which the environment can influence differential susceptibility to psychiatric disorders. I believe that insights in these areas can contribute to early intervention and treatment strategies to improve the quality of life of those with anxiety and other psychiatric disorders. I am currently involved in the Values and Attitudes Toward Psychological Symptoms Study and the DRAMA Study.
Isabella Zolikoff (she/her/hers)
I am interested in both clinical and cognitive psychology. Specifically, I am fascinated by psychological disorders of childhood. My research focus is the etiology of anxiety and schizophrenia and how symptoms manifest differently based on individual environments.
Lauren Himmel (she/her/hers) 
I am interested in psychological research involving various internalizing disorders in minority populations. Specifically, how LGBTQ+ individuals are affected by stress differently than their heteronormative counterparts. Additionally, I am interested in how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) affect mental health in youth and adolescent populations. Eventually, I hope to be involved in research to adapt treatments to better serve marginalized communities. Within the lab, I am currently working on the DRAMA study.
Sofia Vicenzino (she/her/hers) 
I am interested in studying how the varying experiences and backgrounds of individuals can affect their behavior, decision-making, and mental health. More specifically, I would like to research the risk factors that lead to the development of anxiety disorders and mood disorders. I am also passionate about researching accessible early-intervention methods and subsequent treatment programs. I am currently involved in the DRAMA Study.
Manasvi Guduru (she/her/hers)
I am passionate about studying mental health disparities among underrepresented groups. Particularly, I am interested in anxiety and depression and how both of these mental health disorders correlate not only with each other but also an individual’s sexuality and racial identity. Additionally, I am intrigued by research involving how adverse childhood experiences impact the development of mental health disorders in minority groups. Therefore, I find developing curated interventions based on one’s distinct experiences very important to the mental health epidemic.