Intramural Investigators
NIMH scientists conduct research ranging from studies into mechanisms of normal brain function, conducted at the behavioral, systems, cellular, and molecular levels, to clinical investigations into the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental illness.
The investigators at NIMH include:
Arash Afraz, M.D., Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Unit on Neurons, Circuits and Behavior (UNCB)
Laboratory of Neuropsychology (LN)
Veronica Alvarez, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Section on Neurobiology of Compulsive Behaviors
Susan Amara, Ph.D., Scientific Director | Principal Investigator
Chief
Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology (LMCN)
Lauren Atlas, Ph.D. | Adjunct Investigator
Chief
Section on Affective Neuroscience and Pain, NCCIH
Bruno Averbeck, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Section on Learning and Decision Making (SLDM)
Laboratory of Neuropsychology (LN)
Christopher Baker, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Section on Learning and Plasticity
Laboratory of Brain and Cognition (LBC)
Peter Bandettini, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Section on Functional Imaging Methods
Laboratory of Brain and Cognition (LBC)
Director
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Core Facility (FMRIF)
Christopher M Bartley, M.D., Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Translational Immunopsychiatry Unit (TIU)
Karen Faith Berman, M.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Section on Integrative Neuroimaging
Chief
Section on Psychosis and Cognitive Studies
Chief
Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch
James A. Bourne, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Neuroscience and Novel Therapeutics Unit (NNT)
Emotion and Development Branch (E & D)
Ashura Buckley, M.D. | Service/Team Director
Director
Sleep and Neurodevelopment Service
Office of the Clinical Director
Heather Cameron, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
De-Maw Chuang, Ph.D. | Scientist Emeritus
Scientist Emeritus
Yogita Chudasama, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Section on Behavioral Neuroscience
Director
Rodent Behavioral Core
Bevil Conway, Ph.D. | Adjunct Investigator
Chief
Unit on Sensation, Cognition, Action, NEI
George Dold, M.S. | Core Director
Director
Section on Instrumentation (SI)
Lee E Eiden, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Section on Molecular Neuroscience
Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Regulation
Charles R Gerfen, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Senior Investigator
Samer Hattar, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Mark H Histed, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Robert Innis, M.D., Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Angela Langdon, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Unit on the Neural Computations in Learning
Soohyun Lee, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Unit on Functional Neural Circuits
David Leopold, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Section on Cognitive Neurophysiology and Imaging (SCNI)
Laboratory of Neuropsychology (LN)
Director
Neurophysiology Imaging Facility
Zheng Li, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Section on Synapse Development Plasticity
Sarah Lisanby, M.D. | Adjunct Investigator
Director
Noninvasive Neuromodulation Unit
Experimental Therapeutics & Pathophysiology Branch
Silvia Lopez-Guzman, M.D., Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Unit on Computational Decision Neuroscience (CDN)
Emotion and Development Branch (E & D)
Stefano Marenco, M.D. | Core Director
Acting Director
Human Brain Collection Core (HBCC)
Alex Martin, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Section on Cognitive Neuropsychology
Laboratory of Brain and Cognition (LBC)
Francis McMahon, M.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Genetic Basis of Mood and Anxiety Disorders (GBMAD)
Human Genetics Branch
Chief
Human Genetics Branch
Tobias Merson, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Staff Scientist
Oligodendroglial Interactions Group
Betsy Murray, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Section on Neurobiology of Learning and Memory (SNLM)
Laboratory of Neuropsychology (LN)
Allison C Nugent, Ph.D. | Core Director
Mario Penzo, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Section on the Neural Circuits of Emotion and Motivation
Francisco Pereira, Ph.D. | Service/Team Director
Director
Machine Learning Team
Victor Pike, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience (SDAN)
Emotion and Development Branch (E & D)
Dietmar Plenz, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Section on Critical Brain Dynamics
Armin Raznahan, M.D., Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Section on Developmental Neurogenomics
Human Genetics Branch
Barry Richmond, M.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Section on Neural Coding and Computation (SNCC)
Laboratory of Neuropsychology (LN)
Peter Schmidt, M.D. | Principal Investigator
Wallace (Philip) Shaw, B.M., B.Ch., Ph.D. | Adjunct Investigator
Chief
Social and Behavioral Research Branch, NHGRI
Jun Shen, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Paul Taylor, Ph.D. | Core Director
Chief
Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration
Adam Thomas, Ph.D. | Service/Team Director
Director
Data Science and Sharing Team
Audrey Thurm, Ph.D. | Service/Team Director
Director
Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Phenotyping Service
Office of the Clinical Director
Ted Usdin, M.D., Ph.D. | Service/Team Director
Director
Systems Neuroscience Imaging Resource
Benjamin White, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Tonya Jo Hanson White, M.D., Ph.D. | Principal Investigator
Chief
Section on Social and Cognitive Developmental Neuroscience
W Scott Young, M.D., Ph.D. | Scientist Emeritus
Scientist Emeritus
