Principal Investigator
Katharina Kircanski, PhD
I am an Assistant Professor of Psychology at USC. Here I conduct clinical science research, mentor students’ research, teach in the classroom, and supervise trainees’ clinical work. I grew up in Rhode Island, went to college at Stanford University, and completed graduate school in clinical psychology at UCLA. I returned to Stanford for my postdoctoral training, then moved back east where I worked in the National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Research Program (NIMH IRP) for 10 years before joining USC. Across these settings and time, my work has centered on two aims: (1) to better understand the complex mechanisms through which mood and anxiety symptoms develop and are maintained; and (2) to harness insight about these mechanisms to improve mental health interventions. I am especially interested in distinguishing mechanisms that are shared across, versus specific to, different symptoms in order to better target interventions for individuals.
This work is possible because of funding for scientific research and training. Over the years, my funding sources have included NIH research training awards (NIMH F31 and F32, NIH Loan Repayment Program); the NIH/NIMH IRP; Brain and Behavior Research Foundation (NARSAD Young Investigator Award); and FINRA Investor Education Foundation (Seed Grant Program), among other sources. Moreover, incredible scientific mentors and collaborators have enabled my work and training through their research grants.
Outside of the lab (and sometimes even in it), I love the visual arts, a vibrant part of life in Los Angeles. You can find some of my own work (under my partner’s last name) here.
Graduate Students
Leonardo Dominguez Ortega
PhD Student in Clinical Science
I am a first-year graduate student in Clinical Science. My research interests include the etiology and treatment of anxiety and depression in adolescents (including biomarkers), and the impact of family and parenting dynamics on these mechanisms. I am also interested in parent dyad dynamics more broadly. I received my BA in Psychology and Sociology from Loyola Marymount University, and was a research coordinator at the UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment. I hope to attain a faculty position at a university where I can continue my lines of research and also hope to engage in clinical practice. Outside of research, I enjoy watching and playing soccer, bike riding, and watching movies.
Hannah Marshall, MRes
PhD Student in Clinical Science
I am a first-year graduate student in Clinical Science. My research examines depression phenomenology in adolescents and emotion dynamics in parent-adolescent relationships. I specialize in computational methods, dynamic systems, and analysis of intensive longitudinal data. I have a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Psychology from Stanford University, and a Master of Research in Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology from University College London and Yale University. Before joining the MESO Lab, I worked in the Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience at Boston Children’s Hospital, leading data management for longitudinal research examining the neurological, affective, cognitive, and social impacts of early adversity. When not in the office, I spend my time swimming, drawing, and trying new coffee shops.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Amanda Del Giacco, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow in Population & Public Health Sciences
I am a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Population & Public Health Sciences, working with Dr. Megan Herting and collaborating with Dr. Kircanski. I earned my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Oregon Health & Science University, after completing my clinical internship in pediatric neuropsychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. My research is guided by two recurring themes: (1) neurobiological risk factors rarely occur in isolation, and their interaction with environmental features should be considered; and (2) risk and protective factors influence individuals differently, and their effects on mental health and brain development should be assessed with attention to individual variability. My current research examines how various dimensions of early life stress uniquely shape neurobiological development and susceptibility to psychopathology over the developmental period of childhood and adolescence. The overarching goal of my work is to inform treatment approaches to meet the growing mental health needs of youth. Outside of work, I enjoy being outside (biking, hiking, running) in the sun and baking (sometimes edible) gluten-free sourdough loaves.
