UF Department of Psychiatry

04/13/2026

We welcomed two incredible Keynote Speakers sharing their research today at the 2026 CARE Symposium! Dr. Hugh Garavan (The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at The University of Vermont) presented his work on "Causes and Consequences of Adolescent Cannabis Use," and Dr. Joseph Cheer (University of Maryland School of Medicine) presented how "Prenatal THC Exposure Confers an At-Risk Opioid Seeking Phenotype in the Adult Male Progeny."

04/13/2026

Highlights from the 2026 CARE Symposium:

Dr. Sara Jo Nixon, Director of UF CARE, presented a special welcome this morning for all our attendees, and Dr. Amanda Elton presented her fascinating work on "Imaging the Effects of Methylphenidate in Comorbid ADHD and Alcohol Use Disorder." 🧬

Don't miss the upcoming State of the Center & Keynote Speakers in the McKnight Brain Institute of the University of Florida DeWeese Auditorium!

04/09/2026

Dr. Sara Jo Nixon has been elected a 2025 fellow of the AAAS - The American Association for the Advancement of Science! Congratulations Dr. Nixon!

Bloom, Nixon join group of innovators recognized by world’s largest general scientific society

04/06/2026

We're proud to recognize our March 2026 Trainee of the Month, Harshini Murthy! Thank you for all you do and for the impact you make every day. Keep up the incredible work! 👏🌟

04/02/2026

Today we recognize .

A time to celebrate neurodiversity, promote understanding, and support inclusion for individuals on the autism spectrum.

04/01/2026

We're proud to serve as an Executive Chef Sponsor for the 2026 Guest Chef Gainesville, supporting the incredible work of Peaceful Paths in preventing domestic violence in our community. Shelly Flanagan, a UF Department of Psychiatry staff member, participated as a guest chef alongside her daughter, and many other members of our team attended to show their support! 👩‍🍳🍲

04/01/2026

Thank you to the American Foundation for Su***de Prevention - North Florida Chapter for organizing this year's Out of the Darkness Walk this past weekend at the Plaza of Americas! 💙

04/01/2026

Last Friday we had the honor of hosting the 11th annual Richard C. Christensen Memorial Lecture & Advocacy Day at the UF Health Psychiatric Hospital, where we welcomed Dr. Margot Kushel, MD of UCSF Health for an insightful lecture on "Homelessness: Causes, Consequences, & Solutions." In the spirit of turning advocacy into action, our UF Street Psychiatry team also assembled 50 manna bags to support individuals experiencing homelessness in the Gainesville community.

03/31/2026

Big congratulations to Dr. Paola Giusti-Rodriguez on being selected as one of the recipients of the McKnight Brain Institute of the University of Florida's Spatial Transcriptomics Pilot Awards! This exciting recognition supports innovative research using cutting-edge technology to better understand gene activity in brain tissue.

11 projects have been selected for MBI Spatial Transcriptomics Pilot Awards, designed to promote innovative research studies through our new Cellular and Molecular Core.

“These pilot awards are meant to help investigators adapt to new technologies and generate initial datasets that can grow into larger projects, publications and future grants,” said MBI Associate Director of Innovation Dr. Ramon Sun.

Learn more about the projects: bit.ly/4s3002c

03/27/2026

Join us TODAY, 3/27, for the 11th Annual Richard C Christensen Memorial Lecture and Advocacy Day!

“Homelessness: Causes, Consequences, & Solutions” with Margot Kushel, MD from University of California, San Francisco

Livestream link: https://mediasite.video.ufl.edu/Mediasite/Play/78b5a01e5b4f4c26bb4eddef28a727eb1d

03/26/2026

Congratulations Dr. Nixon!

Congratulations to MBI researcher Dr. Sara Jo Nixon, who was named a 2025 AAAS - The American Association for the Advancement of Science fellow, a top honor in the scientific community.

Nixon is the chief of addiction research at the University of Florida and the director of UF's Center for Addiction Research & Education (CARE).

Read more: bit.ly/4tdX5oA

03/23/2026

Dr. Ashley Kate Bourne, a UF Department of Psychiatry resident, will be featured in an upcoming author talk at the UF Health Science Center Libraries.

In her memoir, Resident, Interrupted, she offers a candid look at burnout, depression, and the often unspoken challenges of medical training.

This hybrid event will include a presentation, Q&A, and book signing. We hope you’ll join us in supporting this important conversation. More details in the post below.

Resident, Interrupted. Author Talk with Ashley Kate Bourne, DO. We are honored to host Dr. Bourne for a candid discussion on the mental health challenges inherent in medical education. University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries

In her memoir, Resident, Interrupted, Dr. Bourne explores the often-stigmatized experiences of burnout and depression after going unmatched. This hybrid event (In-person & Online) will feature a presentation followed by an open Q&A and book sale.