Keshavan Lab

Matcheri Keshavan, MD

Stanley Cobb Professor of Psychiatry;
Harvard Medical School
Vice Chair of Public Psychiatry;
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Massachusetts Mental Health Center

Dr. Matcheri Keshavan joined the faculty of the BIDMC Department of Psychiatry and the Massachusetts Mental Health Center (MMHC) in 2008. Dr. Keshavan's work focuses on neurobiological models of psychotic disorders and on the development and implementation of early interventions with biopsychosocial treatment strategies.

Neurobiological basis of psychotic disorders: Dr. Keshavan is one of the Principal Investigators of the Bipolar Disorders and Schizophrenia Network on Intermediate Phenotypes (B-SNIP), a six site NIH funded study which is investigating the unique versus distinct biomarkers in these two major mental disorders. Another major initiative is an ongoing NIH funded longitudinal study at BIDMC and Massachusetts General Hospital, led by Drs. Keshavan, Robert Stickgold and Dara Manoach to characterize sleep alterations in patients with psychosis and adolescents at genetic risk for schizophrenia.
Cognitive enhancement studies: Dr. Keshavan’s ongoing research studies seek to further refine and test a novel approach to cognitive remediation, cognitive enhancement therapy (CET) in early course schizophrenia patients. Another study will evaluate the effectiveness of an adaptation of CET for improving cognitive deficits in patients with clinical high risk for psychotic disorders at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center. Studies are also under way, supported by a Sydney R. Baer Foundation grant, to examine a novel way of integrating cognitive and physical exercises for people with severe mental illness.
Early intervention in psychotic disorders: The Massachusetts Department of Mental Health recently awarded a grant to BIDMC and MMHC to serve as the First Episode Psychosis Technical Assistance Center (FEP_TAC). Utilizing this resource, Dr. Keshavan, Emily Kline PHD and colleagues are implementing an ongoing learning collaborative, Massachusetts Psychosis Network for Early Treatments (MAPNET) train mental health providers across Massachusetts in evidence based approaches to early intervention in psychotic disorders.

Apart from leading a thriving research program focused on psychotic and mood disorders, DR. Keshavan’s responsibilities include mentoring psychiatry residents, other trainees, and faculty into research careers. Dr. Keshavan’s lab at MMHC provides an opportunity for trainees to get first hand experience in several aspects of biological psychiatry research.
Digital mental health interventions: Along with Dr. John Torous, Dr. Keshavan’s group has developed the Digital Care Assessment Research and Education (D-CARE) Program at the BIDMC Department of Psychiatry. This program seeks to develop and implement smartphone based programs for learning, assessment, management and prevention (LAMP) for people with mental disorders. This program has been supported by a generous grant from the Natalia Foundation.

Personnel:

Casey Cragin, PsyD
Cindy Liu, PhD
Corin Pilo-Comtois, LMHC
Emily Kline, PhD
Janine Rodenhiser-Hill, PhD
John Torous, M.D.
Kate Stewart, MSW, LCSW
Kristen A. Woodberry, MSW, PhD
Latoya Thomas, LMHC
Luis Sandoval, PhD
Meghan Graham, LMHC
Michelle Friedman-Yakoobian, PhD
Michelle West, PhD
Nicolas Bolo, PhD
Paulo Rizano, M.D.
Raquelle Mesholam-Gately, PhD
Roscoe O. Brady Jr. M.D., Ph.D.
Sinead Kelly, PhD
Synthia Guimond, PhD