Research

Research is vital to improving our ability to diagnose and treat bipolar disorder in children and adolescents. There are a number of research studies available through the CABS program. Participation in research is completely voluntary and is NOT required to receive services.  

Boris Birmaher, M.D

"Dr. Birmaher's Headshot"Dr. Birmaher is the Endowed Chair in Early Onset Bipolar Disease and Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine and the Director of the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Spectrum Services. A leader in the study and treatment of pediatric mood and anxiety disorders, Dr. Birmaher is a pioneer in describing the course and treatment of childhood-onset bipolar disorder, and has served as the Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator for over 25 federally-sponsored research grants and projects, Co-Investigator for numerous other projects and author of over 490 articles in peer reviewed journals.  Through his research, clinical and mentoring activities, Dr. Birmaher has increased our understanding of the risk factors for mood and anxiety disorders, developed and implemented innovative treatments to improve the lives of patients and their families, and trained the next generation of educators, clinicians and researchers in these disorders

Ongoing Research Studies
Completed Research Studies

 

Rasim Somer Diler, M.D.

"Dr. Diler's Headshot"Dr. Diler joined the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh as a faculty in 2008 where he serves as the medical director of inpatient Child and Adolescent Bipolar Services (in-CABS), which is the nation’s first inpatient program to improve diagnosis and treatment of youth with bipolar disorder. The Hospital and Health System Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) awarded the in-CABS in 2011 for the best patient care among all medical specialties for its novel multi-layered assessment methods and innovative interventions as well as its bridging inpatient -outpatient and clinical-research services. Under Dr. Diler's leadership, the In-Cabs program since then has received six awards for clinical innovation, best patient care, and blending technology into routine practice. Dr. Diler served as the editor of the first international book on pediatric bipolar disorder that included chapters from 11 countries that provides a snapshot of how this condition is being diagnoses and treated in the world. He was elected to chair an international meeting of the Bridging Eastern and Western Psychiatry Association (Мост между Восточной и Западной психиатрией) on “Bipolar Disorder: Bridging the Gap” in 2008.

Ongoing Research Studies
Completed Research Studies

 

Tina Goldstein, PhD

"Dr. Goldstein's Headshot"Dr. Goldstein is a licensed psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh where she also serves as Director of Psychotherapy Training in Pediatric Mood Disorders and Co-Director of the Psychology Internship Training Program. Tina received her BA in Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri and her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She joined the faculty at the University of Pittsburgh and the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Spectrum (CABS) Clinical Research Group in 2006. She has committed her career to understanding and treating youth with, and at-risk for, mood disorders and suicide. In her role, she enjoys teaching, training, supervising, and conducting clinical research. Tina likes to run, play outside, and eat candy.

Ongoing Research Studies
Completed Research Studies

 

Danella Hafeman, M.D., PHD

"Dr.Hafeman's Headshot"Dr. Danella Hafeman is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh. She earned her medical degree, as well as a PhD in Epidemiology, at Columbia University in 2009. She then completed her psychiatry residency and child psychiatry fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Hafeman’s research focuses on youth with and at-risk for bipolar disorder. She is interested in understanding clinical and neural mechanisms of risk and resilience in these youth, with the goal of preventing mood disorders in this vulnerable population. Clinically, she works as a child psychiatrist in the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Spectrum Services clinic, where she evaluates and treats youth with and at-risk for bipolar disorder.

Visit Dr. Hafeman's research lab: Click Here

Ongoing Research Studies
Completed Research Studies
Dara Sakolsky, M.D., PHD

"Dr.Sakolsky's Headshot"Dr. Dara Sakolsky is an Associate Professor in the School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.  She completed a combined MD/PhD program at Temple University, earning her PhD in Pharmacology. She is a board-certified in adult and child/adolescent psychiatrist with extensive experience treating youth with mood and anxiety disorders. Dr. Sakolsky has served as a principal investigator at the University of Pittsburgh for the Child/Adolescent Anxiety Multimodal Extended Long-term Study (CAMELS) and co-investigator on several NIMH funded studies examining the phenomenology and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. She also works clinically as the Associate Medical Director at the Services for Teens at Risk (STAR) clinic and psychiatrist at Child and Adolescent Bipolar Services (CABS) outpatient clinic. 

Ongoing Research Studies
  • No ongoing research studies at the moment, but check back soon!
Completed Research Studies