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Two UF faculty members earn leadership roles with American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
Josepha Cheong, M.D., a professor of psychiatry, was elected as 2025’s ABPN board chair after serving two four-year terms as a director of psychiatry, and Michael S. Jaffee, M.D., chair of neurology, was named a director of neurology. Cheong and Jaffee, who are both MBI investigators, began their new roles on…
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Psychiatry Researchers Receive MBI Accelerator Program Awards
Three department of psychiatry faculty members — Dr. Amanda Elton, Dr. Carol Mathews, and Dr. Barry Setlow — have been honored with MBI Accelerator Program awards. The McKnight Brain Institute Accelerator Program has selected 23 projects for seed-funding awards supporting novel and impactful neuroscience and neuromedicine research.
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Study shows underdiagnosis of Tourette syndrome in girls
‘Tic disorders, including Tourette syndrome, affect both males and females, but females are frequently under-diagnosed, which can delay access to proper treatment,’ explained Dr. Carol Mathews.
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Full Circle: Resident Research in College Mental Health
In this poem, Dr. Jeena Kar reflects on her experience with a diversity, equity, and research elective during residency. She participated in NIH grant–funded research that seeks to increase access of underrepresented and minoritized undergraduate students to careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and biomedical fields. She facilitated weekly process groups…
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Dr. Giusti participates in neuroscience "One Image, 100 Words" event
Twenty-four McKnight Brain Institute investigators presented dynamic and wide-ranging snapshots of the latest in neuroscience research Tuesday evening at an MBI seminar called “One Image, 100 Words.”
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Mangurian-Fixel-McKnight Collaboration pilot grant funding
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Now in its fifth cycle, this program supports innovative pre-clinical and clinical research in Lewy body dementia.
Funding this cycle was also supported by the UF Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease. This collaboration—between the Harry T. Mangurian Jr. Foundation, McKnight Brain Institute, and Norman Fixel Institute at UF Health—has previously led to prestigious NIH and Florida Department of Health grants.
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Dr. Liliana “Lily” Acosta joins us as a clinical assistant professor in the Psychology division. Dr. Acosta is a triple-Gator and earned her BS (Family, Youth, and Community Sciences), MEd (School Psychology), and PhD (School Psychology) at the University of Florida before completing her training at Kennedy Krieger Institute/Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC. She has amassed significant clinical and school-based experience while working in various settings: conducting autism evaluations, providing behavioral and cognitive therapies, and collaborating on advocacy and research efforts. Dr. Acosta is a certified PCIT therapist and is passionate about providing neuro-affirming care to children, adolescents, and their families. Her clinical interests include function-informed, brief treatment with young children and comprehensive neurodevelopmental assessments. Her research interests focus on reducing barriers to accurate diagnoses and supports, increasing access to community-based services, and serving Spanish-speaking populations. In her free time, Dr. Acosta enjoys hiking with her dog, starting new crochet projects, and traveling. I am confident that Dr. Acosta’s impressive background, dedication to clinical service delivery, and specialized training will make a significant impact on our community. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Lily Acosta to our team! Dr. Acosta is based in Springhill 2 (Room 3137). You can reach out to her at lilianalacosta@ufl.edu
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Thank you to everyone who participated in our Winter Photo Contest! The submissions this year captured the spirit of the season and showcased the creativity and talent within our department. Our panel of judges selected the winners for each category, and these winning photos were displayed at the Winter Social, where attendees cast their votes for the overall favorite.
We are thrilled to share that the overall winner, selected by attendees at the Winter Social, is Lisa Merlo for her photo in the Daily Life category! Congratulations to all our category winners! Your photos will be proudly displayed in the MBI Chair’s office until the Summer Photo Contest winners are announced, at which point you will receive your beautifully framed photos to display as you wish. Thank you for participating! Stay tuned for details about the Summer Photo Contest!
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Psychiatry Staff Professional Development Program
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Faculty from across UF Psychiatry have created a Staff Professional Development Fund designed to provide direct support from faculty to our support staff in their efforts to advance professionally
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Faculty Research Highlights: Call for Submissions
As discussed at the last faculty meeting, we’d like to highlight a publication from one faculty member in each monthly newsletter. To get this started, we’re asking for volunteers to suggest one of their recent publications that can be summarized in a few sentences. If you are interested, please send the following information to Dr. Setlow: Title Full names and affiliations of all authors Journal/book in which it is published Electronic link to publication if available (e.g., DOI, publisher’s website, PubMed link, etc.) One sentence summarizing the goal or problem addressed in the publication One-two sentences summarizing the findings described in the publication One-two sentences summarizing the conclusions and broader implications of the work described in the publication.
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UF Research Equipment Seed Fund Competition
The Research Equipment Seed Fund (RESF) award provides funding to support the acquisition or development of research equipment on campus. The initiative is aimed at helping Principal Investigators (PIs) acquire or develop equipment that will enhance the University’s competitiveness for external funding opportunities. The RESF offers up to $200,000 for selected proposals over a two-year period, with a total funding pool of $1.8M. The Request for Proposals is available on our web-site or you can find it using the navigation: UF Research > Resources > Research Units > Strategic Research Development > Research Seed Funds and Honorifics > Research Equipment Seed Funds. Deadline 11:59 PM, February 28, 2025 If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Graham Gallagher (352-273-3019).
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UF CARD Update
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Teaching Students with Extensive Support Needs
Thursdays 1/9, 1/23, 2/13, 2/27, 3/13, 3/27; 4:30 - 6:00 pm | ONLINE Join us for the virtual 6-part series to learn more about how to support learners with extensive support needs. Using real-life examples, a shared case study, and group discussion, we will explore how to assess need, design instructional goals, implement evidence-based strategies across content areas, and assess progress. Compassion Fatigue
Monday, February 24, 2025; 6:00 - 7:00PM | ONLINE Compassion fatigue is a term that describes the physical, emotional, and psychological impact of helping others — often through experiences of stress or trauma. Join us for this informative session to learn more about compassion fatigue. What is it? How do I know if I am experiencing compassion fatigue? What can I do to prevent compassion fatigue, and what can I do when I am experiencing it? Understanding Peer-Mediated Interventions, An Evidence-based Practice
Tuesday, March 25, 2025; 4:30 - 5:30PM | ONLINE Ever wish you had a classroom full of peer mentors who could help students with autism shine in social situations, work together, and maybe even teach you a few tricks along the way? Well, that’s exactly what peer-mediated interventions (PMIs) are all about! Join us for an hour of exploring how peers can become the unsung heroes in helping students with autism master social skills, communication, and even academics. All About the Smart Driver Program
Monday, May 12, 2025; 5:00 - 6:00PM | ONLINE Driving and community mobility enables adolescents to begin to develop social capital (relationships and social connections that an individual has within his or her community). This can affect their overall quality of life long-term. Neurodiverse novice drivers face challenges to participate in this area that begin long before they take the learner’s permit test. This presentation will cover barriers to participation, pre-driving skills and the role driver rehabilitation may play in achieving the goal of independent mobility. Find us at these community events! 02/07/25 Night to Shine Prom at Westside Baptist Church 02/08/25 Hernando County School District’s Disability Awareness Walk and Roll 02/08/25 Columbia County Housing Authority’s Family Fun Day 03/08/25 Union County Housing Authority’s Family Fun Day Sign up for the UF CARD eNews, visit the UF CARD website, and follow the UF CARD Facebook Page to stay informed about events. If you know someone in need of UF CARD services, please direct them to the UF CARD registration page or have them call 352-265-2230.
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February 7 | NCF SfN Conference
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February 7 | Grand Rounds
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Hochang (Ben) Lee
John Romano Professor & Chair, Department of Psychiatry
University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry
Chief of Psychiatry, Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester
Regional Chief of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center Time: 12 – 1 p.m. This presentation will be given in-person at the UF Psychiatric Hospital, Room 1901, with watch parties held at the McKnight Brain Institute, Room L4-101, and AOPC, Room 3242. Attend via Livestream or Zoom.
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February 8 | NCF SfN Girls Do Science
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February 14 | Grand Rounds
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Presentation 1
12 – 1 p.m. with Q&A 1 – 1:30 p.m.
Richard L. Merkel, Jr.
Professor of Psychiatry
University of Virginia Presentation 2
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. with Q&A 2:30 – 3 p.m.
Toni Shalyn Carter
PGY-3 Resident
Department of Psychiatry This presentation will be given in-person at the UF Psychiatric Hospital, Room 1901, with watch parties held at the McKnight Brain Institute, Room L4-101, and AOPC, Room 3242. Attend via Livestream or Zoom.
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February 21 | Grand Rounds
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Youngsuhk Jo
Assistant Professor
Child & Adolescent Division, Department of Psychiatry Time: 12 – 1 p.m. This presentation will be given in-person at the McKnight Brain Institute, Room L4-101, with watch parties held at the UF Psychiatric Hospital, Room 1901, and AOPC, Room 3242. Attend via Livestream or Zoom.
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February 24-25 | COM Celebration of Research
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This annual event is truly a wonderful opportunity for great things to happen at UF. The culture of the College of Medicine is built upon the philosophy of sharing of knowledge and our discoveries, establishing new, and celebrating pre-existing collaborations, and most importantly, inspiring all our learners to become successful lifetime researchers.
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February 28 | Grand Rounds
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Anna Amare
PGY-2 Resident
Department of Psychiatry Jerrin Peter
PGY-1 Resident
Department of Psychiatry Time: 12 – 1 p.m. This presentation will be given in-person at the UF Psychiatric Hospital, Room 1901, with watch parties held at the McKnight Brain Institute, Room L4-101, and AOPC, Room 3242. Attend via Livestream or Zoom.
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March 28-30 | FPS Spring Meeting
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Please join FPS for the Spring 2025 CME Meeting Required Relicensure & Expo! This live event will be held on March 28-30, 2025 and offers up to 12.5 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM and will ensure that you are covered for your license renewal requirements.
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Dr. Christensen Advocacy Day Donation Drive
A registry for Advocacy Day donations has been set up on Amazon. This annual event helps support our Street Psychiatry mission and is done in the honor of Dr. Richard C. Christensen, a former faculty member who spent his life helping the unhoused population.
Each spring, the department holds a manna bag drive in his honor and the bags are distributed to members of our community in need. Your donations matter and are appreciated!
You can access the registry via the link below. In person donations can also be dropped off to the following locations:
Vista- Ricky Snyder, Thomas Womble, Jackie Garcia, or Kayla McCray Springhill I- Mel or Dr. De Faria Springhill II- David Roberts or Shelly Flanagan FRC- Hannah Hatcher MBI/1329- Nancy Boyd
Deadline for donations April 11th
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Employee Assistance Program
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The UF Employee Assistance Program aims to support UF employees by providing a safe space and quality mental health and wellness resources. EAP therapists and affiliated employees uphold UF’s non-discrimination policy (UF Regulation 1.006), ensuring services are inclusive and respectful of everyone, regardless of their background or identity.
UF employees and their household members may call the EAP at any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at (833) 306-0103, and anyone experiencing a crisis with more urgent needs should call the Alachua County Crisis Center at (352) 264-6789.
You can also request an appointment online.
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Let Us Know!
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Do you have some news or an announcement you would like to share? Do you know someone who has gone above and beyond and who you would like to recognize? Want us to save the date for an upcoming event?
Editorial Team:
Melinda Fawcett
Aubrey Bonsal
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