Interdisciplinary neuroscience and behavioral research at UVM spans the spectrum from genes and molecules to complex behaviors, with an active translational path from bench to bedside to community and back again. The new Vermont Center on Behavior and Health, founded in 2013 with $35 million in federal grants, complements several strong programs already in place at the University, including the Neuroscience, Behavior and Health Transdisciplinary Research Initiative, the Neuroscience Center for Biomedical Research Excellence, and a robust research program in Neurological Sciences. These efforts underscore a focus on investigating relationships between personal behaviors and risk for chronic disease and premature death, with a specific emphasis on understanding mechanisms underpinning risk, and developing effective interventions and policies to promote healthy behavior.
Stacey Sigmon, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Director of The Chittenden Clinic
With opioid dependence at epidemic levels and treatment waitlists at an all-time high, Stacey Sigmon, Ph.D., has taken a stand to ensure effective and timely treatment for patients — particularly those in rural states like Vermont.
Diane Jaworski, Ph.D., Professor of Neurological Sciences
A few studies have investigated acetate as a potential therapeutic agent, but none had examined its potential benefits in treating gliomas — brain tumors that originate in the glial cells of the brain — until Professor Diane Jaworski's research uncovered its impact.
Karen Fondacaro, Ph.D., Clinical Professor of Psychology and Director of The UVM Behavior Therapy and Psychotherapy Center
As Vermont's refugee population grows, the community has found a key resource at UVM's Dewey Hall. Six years ago, Karen Fondacaro, Ph.D., founded Connecting Cultures, a program providing mental health services to Vermont's refugee community.
Hugh Garavan, Ph.D, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology
Why do some teenagers start smoking or experimenting with drugs — while others don't? In the largest imaging study of the human brain ever conducted — involving 1,896 14-year-olds — scientists have discovered a number of previously unknown networks that go a long way toward an answer.
Barry Guitar, Ph.D., Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Professor Barry Guitar is part researcher, part clinician and part evangelist for a form of speech therapy aimed at young children who stutter that he believes could be as effective as it is controversial in America and Europe. The therapy, developed in Australia in the 1990s, is called the Lidcombe method.