Daniel Mathalon, PhD, MD
Principal Investigator
Professor of Psychiatry

Dr. Mathalon's laboratory studies brain dysfunction in schizophrenia using various brain imaging techniques including EEG, event-related brain potentials, and functional magnetic resonance imaging. Dr. Mathalon is particularly interested in whether functional brain abnormalities, as assessed with these methods, can be used as markers in individuals at high risk for schizophrenia to improve our ability to predict who will go on to convert to psychosis.  With improved early detection methods, early interventions can be targeted to those individuals at greatest risk for psychosis.   

To see Dr. Mathalon on Pub Med, click here.

Holly Hamilton, PhD
Assistant Professor

Dr. Hamilton is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at UCSF and a Staff Psychologist at the San Francisco VA Health Care System and the University of California, San Francisco. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles, where her research focused on investigating the neurobiological mechanisms associated with the symptoms and course of psychosis. She is particularly interested in identifying EEG and other biological markers that predict vulnerability for psychosis in individuals who are at clinical high risk for developing schizophrenia, with the ultimate goal of informing early intervention strategies and preventing a disabling course of illness. For NAPLS, Dr. Hamilton provides comprehensive clinical evaluations and psychoeducational feedback for current and potential program participants, supervises neuropsychological assessment, and assists with the management of all NAPLS study procedures. Additional clinical interests include evidence-based psychosocial interventions for psychosis, depression, and anxiety, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

Brian Roach
Programmer Analyst

Brian joined the lab at Yale University as a research assistant after graduating from Vassar College with a BA in Cognitive Science. In addition to learning lab techniques and procedures, Brian was able to leverage open source software to implement time-frequency analysis of EEG data in matlab.

Brian began managing the lab at Yale and helped transition it to UCSF in October, 2007. In this role, he has various administrative, study design and management, project coordination, staff supervision, data collection and analysis, grant writing and management, and compliance responsibilities. During his time in the lab, he has contributed to over 70 peer-reviewed publications.

Susanna Fryer, PhD
Assistant Professor, In Residence

Dr. Susanna Fryer is an Assistant Professor in the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and staff clinical research psychologist at the San Francisco VA Medical Center. She completed her undergraduate work at Stanford University where she first became excited about clinical neuroscience while participating in the departmental honors research program in Human Biology. She then earned her PhD from SDSU/UCSD's Joint Program in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in neuropsychology, after completing a clinical internship in psychology at the San Francisco VA Medical Center.

Dr. Fryer's research, funded by the NIH and the VA, applies neuroimaging and neuropsychological methods to study brain and behavior relationships in adolescent and young adult populations at risk for developing mental illness, with an emphasis on motivated behaviors and self-regulation. Her research focuses on i) improving our understanding of the cognitive features and brain alterations that underlie risk for, and conversion to, psychopathology, and ii) the brain-based mechanisms of how that risk might be ameliorated through psychotherapeutic intervention. She is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based techniques, and is particularly interested in how behavioral interventions can be applied to improve aspects of affect and attentional regulation across traditional diagnostic nosologies. She supervises psychology trainees and provides evidence-based mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapies in the San Francisco VA General Psychiatry Outpatient Service.

Barbara Stuart, PhD
Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Stuart is a licensed psychologist who completed her doctoral studies at the University of California Berkeley. She has expertise in early detection and intervention in psychotic spectrum disorders in adolescents and young adults. Focus of current research is on emotional processing in young people at risk for psychosis. Dr. Stuart is an expert trainer and supervisor in evidence-based diagnostic interviewing and assessment. She is a certified trainer in Psychoeducational Multifamily Groups providing supervision to clinicians in the community. She is also a supervising clinician at the UCSF Dialectical Behavior Therapy Program for teens and young adults with severe emotion dysregulation, chronic suicidality and self-harming.

Itzel (Izzy) Lopez, MFT
Intake Coordinator

Izzy graduated from the University of San Francisco with an MA in Counseling Psychology program with a concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy. She then worked in community mental health serving a diverse population of young adolescents and their families. In this role, Izzy serves as a consultant to community providers and families, coordinates and screens intake referrals, connects patients to appropriate treatment services and research opportunities, and assists in coordinating community outreach and training. Izzy is working towards obtaining thorough training to become an clinical assessor on the NAPLS team.