Mental illness and addiction have devastating effects on those afflicted as well as their loved ones. The Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health is at the forefront of research into the biological mechanisms that underlie mental health conditions such as depression and schizophrenia, and addictions such as gambling and opioid addiction. Investigators at the Centre are also determining factors that contribute to resilience, enabling people to overcome emotional trauma and stress and maintain mental health. Research spans from foundational science that explores the genetic, brain connections and environmental factors that might predispose a person to these conditions, to translational work that moves research from bench to bedside.

By gaining a better understanding of the neurobiology underlying risky decisions and mood disorders, we hope to develop new strategies to treat, manage and prevent addiction and mental illness.

Female depression and concept of guilt as a woman feeling social anxiety or work pressure stress as a victim of mental distress in a 3D illustration style.

Related Researchers

Learn more about the clinical and foundational scientists who are studying mental health and addictions.

Name and Contact Info Title Research Interests
Associate Professor, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
Parkinson’s disease, imaging, dementia, cognition
Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
mood disorders, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, genetics, genetic counselling
Associate Director, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health
cognition, cell biology, nervous system
Professor of Teaching, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, UBC
bipolar disorder, mood disorders, mental health, neuroeducation, learning technologies, open educational resources
Associate Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
inflammation, neurogenetics, proteomics, schizophrenia
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
mood disorder, bipolar disorder, virtual reality, cognition
Professor, Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria
hippocampus, synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis, exercise, mild traumatic brain injury, concussion, fragile-x syndrome, prenatal ethanol exposure, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, depression
Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, UBC
cognition, addiction and mental health, behaviour
Affiliate Professor, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
systems neuroscience, clinical neuroscience, functional neuroimaging, neurotechnology, neuroplasticity
Professor & Head, Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
executive function, developmental neuroscience, learning, behaviour, cognition
Professor, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
Parkinson’s disease, depression, cognition, dopamine
Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, UBC
behaviour, decision making, cognition, schizophrenia, dopamine, addiction and mental health, mood disorders
Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
Professor, Departments of Psychiatry, and Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto
aging, neuroplasticity, neurogenesis
Professor, Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
autism, epilepsy, neuroplasticity, developmental neuroscience
Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, UBC
Biosensors, Affinity reagents, Neuromodulators, Real-time Neurochemical sensors, Aptamers, Brain plasticity, Dopamine circuitry, Serotonin circuitry, Neurodegenerative diseases, Biomarker discovery
Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, UBC
bioinformatics, systems biology, Alzheimer disease, neurodegenerative diseases, metabolomics
Professor, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
neuroethics, neurotechnology, neuroimaging, neurodegeneration, dementia, regenerative medicine
Professor, Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
depression, bipolar disorder, mood disorders
Associate Professor, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science, UBC
Neuroimaging, Brain Connectome, Machine Learning
Philips MR Clinical Scientist, UBC MRI Research Centre
magnetic resonance imaging, magnetic resonance spectroscopy
Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
stroke, depression, neuroplasticity, imaging, foundational science
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
concussion, traumatic brain injury, addiction and mental health
Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
dopamine, memory, learning, behaviour, cognition
Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
mood disorders
Associate Professor, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
Alzheimer disease, dementia, neuroethics, patient experience, mental health, robotics, child health
Professor (Partner), Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Mental Health, UBC
addiction, psychiatry, psychotherapy, cognitive control, brain concepts
Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, UBC
Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
genetics, cognition, neuroimaging, cognitive-behavioour therapy, obsessive-compulsive disorder, repetitive behaviour disorders
Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Neurology (Medicine), UBC
schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, psychosis, autism, intellectual disability
Professor, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
cryo-EM, imaging, drug discovery
Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, UBC
Professor, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
Professor, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, UBCO
concussion, intimate partner violence, sensorimotor control, cerebrovascular physiology
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
Professor, Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
HPA axis, testosterone, stress
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
addiction and mental health, health systems, global mental health
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
rTMS, ECT, MST, tDCS, depression, schizophrenia, student health
Professor, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
neuroplasticity, stroke, epilepsy, foundational science
Professor Emerita, Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, UBC
Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
bipolar disorder, addiction and mental health, mood disorders , depression

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The DMCBH is home to the Mood Disorders Centre (MDC) Research, Education, Awareness, and Care Hub, which aims to translate scientific knowledge into innovative clinical care.

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