About Us
The MEND2 laboratory is a multisite lab, located at The Ohio State University, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and the University of Utah, that uses biopsychosocial tools, including neuroimaging, performance, self-report and other-report, and blood and saliva assays in mood disorders. We use these tools to identify biomarkers to inform precision medicine, including diagnosis, risk, prevention/treatment selection, treatment effectiveness, and course modification.
We work to better understand mood disorders, self-injurious thoughts and behaviors, treatment measures and their effect on the brain and individual, and how the individual changes across the lifespan.
Research Foci:
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Mood disorders include depressive disorders and bipolar disorders. Much of our work focuses on understanding how mood disorders look in the brain and how to help.
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Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors include thoughts of suicide and self-harm as well as suicidal and non-suicidal behavior.
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Some of our studies look at how specific treatments, like rumination focused cognitive behavioral therapy (RF-CBT), help people with mood disorders and self-injurious thoughts and behaviors. We are also interested in how these treatments change the brain.
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The MEND2 Lab has conducted research across the lifespan. Currently, many of our studies focus on teens because mood disorders and self-injury often begin around this time. By understanding and treating these challenges earlier, we might be more successful in reducing suffering. This is because the brain is more flexible in childhood and adolescence.