Karen Cropsey, Psy.D.
Vice Chair of Clinical Research

Dr. Karen Cropsey, Professor, has been selected as the new Vice Chair of Clinical Research for the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology after serving as the Interim Vice Chair for Research Training and Faculty Development.  Since joining the department in 2007, Dr. Cropsey has dedicated herself to being a leader and representative for the department in the clinical research field.  Her clinical research interests include developing treatment interventions for patients with substance abuse disorders, with a particular focus on smoking cessation and opioid treatment interventions in underserved populations.

Dr. Cropsey currently holds a number of leadership and representative roles for the department.  She is the Faculty Representative for the Heersink School of Medicine on the Faculty Senate, where she is also the Chair of the Faculty Senate Research Committee.  Dr. Cropsey is the Co-Director of the Heersink School of Medicine Center for Addiction and Pain Prevention and Intervention (CAPPI).  She has been continuously funded by the NIH for the past 20 years, has published over 140 articles in peer-reviewed journals, and is an Associate Editor for Drug and Acohol Dependence.  In addition to these roles, Dr. Cropsey is also a standing member of the Interventions to Prevent and Treat Addiction (IPTA) NIH study section and a committee member for the Review of Specific Programs in the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA).

Karen Gamble, Ph.D.
Vice Chair of Basic Research

Dr. Karen Gamble, Professor, has been selected as the new Vice Chair of Basic Research for the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology.  For the past year, she has served as the Interim Director of the Division of Behavioral Neurobiology.  In that time, she has coordinated the Return to Operations plans and procedures as well as coordinate regular discussions of research topics both from basic and clinical research perspectives.

Dr. Gamble joined the department in 2009 and has maintained an internationally recognized research program focused on circadian biology and sleep health using both basic, pre-clinical research in transgenic animal models and translational collaborative research in patient populations.  She has organized meetings and symposia, including those focused on professional development, such as the Society for Research in Biological Rhythms (SRBR) events, Trainee Day and Junior Faculty Workshops.  Dr. Gamble is Co-Director of the UAB Graduate Biomedical Sciences Nueroscience theme and the Sleep-Circadian Pillar of the Comprehensive Neuroscience Center.  Dr. Gamble also co-chairs the SRBR Strategic Planning Committee and chairs the Neuroscience of Sleep and Circadian Biology Society for Neuroscience Annual Datablitz Program.  She is a member of the editorial boards for the Journal of Biological Rhythms and Journal of Pineal Research, as well as a Reviewing Editor for Sleep Advances and European Journal of Neuroscience.

Yogesh Dwivedi, Ph.D.
Director of the Division of Behavioral Neurobiology

Dr. Yogesh Dwivedi, Professor, has been selected as the new Director of the Division of Behavioral Neurobiology.  Before and since joining the department in 2013, Dr. Dwivedi has established himself as a decorated leader among research facutly on an international scale.  The major thrust of Dr. Dwivedi's research is to elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms associated with depression, stress, and suicidal behavior by integrating basic and clinical neuroscience.

Dr. Dwivedi joined the department as the Elesabeth Ridgely Shook Endowed Chair and Director of Translational Research in the UAB Mood Disorders Program.  He is also the Co-Director of the UAB Depression and Suicide Center.  Dr. Dwivedi has received numerous awards from and is a member of the National Institute of Mental Health study section, the Scientific Advisory Council of the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention (AFSP), and the Genetics and Neurobiology Task Force for the International Association of Suicide Prevention.  His research is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, AFSP, NARSAD, Marshal Reynolds Foundation, and Stanley Foundation.  He has published over 170 papers and numerous book chapters, and has also edited the book The Neurobiological Basis of Suicide.  Dr. Dwivedi serves on the editorial boards of several scientific journals and has been invited worldwide for various talks and symposia.