Scholarly Expertise: Research methods
Daniel W. Fisher
My clinical and research interests center around behavioral and psychological symptoms that present in neurodegenerative diseases, especially dementias. Though dementia is well-known to affect one’s memory and cognition, over 90% of people with dementia develop new neuropsychiatric symptoms – including apathy, dysphoria. anxiety, aggression, agitation, disinhibition, hallucinations, and delusions. Despite the ubiquity of these symptoms, very little is known about how they develop in dementia. My research interests are in understanding more about the molecular and cellular mechanisms of neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia beyond the well-studied changes associated with cognitive deficits.
Along with my research mentor Martin Darvas PhD (Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology), we employ numerous approaches to better understand these neuropsychiatric symptoms, including techniques involving transcriptomic analyses of human and mouse post-mortem tissue, development and implementation of biomarkers derived from human and animal model fluids (plasma, serum, cerebrospinal fluid), virally-mediated gene manipulations, animal modeling of cognitive and neuropsychiatric phenotypes, and basic cellular and molecular biology techniques.
Jonathan Kanter
I am a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and in the UW Psychology Department, where I am Director of the Center for the Science of Social Connection. I also am a member of the leadership team of the UW Medicine’s Office of Healthcare Equity, where I am Director of EDI Training and Education. My research and training efforts focus on understanding and intervening on bias and microaggressions, improving EDI training and consultation efforts, and developing close relationships especially across the differences that typically divide us.
I use the pronouns he, him, his.
Sarah Danzo
My research broadly aims to better understand the etiology of depression and risk behaviors such as suicide and substance use across development, and translate findings to inform prevention and intervention strategies for youth and families. My work focuses on partnering with communities and primary care clinics to improve access to and use of effective mental health services.
My current projects include studies focused on adapting and evaluating suicide prevention intervention and implementation strategies for use with adolescents and their families in primary care and outpatient medical settings, including developing and adapting brief, just-in-time, and digital interventions to expand access to services.
In addition to research, I am also a clinical psychologist in the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program and the Crisis Care Clinic at Seattle Children’s Hospital.
Tessa Frohe
I am a trained Behavioral Psychologist with a PhD in Health & Human Performance. The main goal of my work is to reduce substance-related harms and improve quality of life for people experiencing problems related to their substance use. I work closely with community members who use drugs to inform my line of research and address key needs identified. My primary appointment is at the Harm Reduction Research and Treatment (HaRRT) Center within the UW School of Medicine and hold an Affiliate Faculty appointment within the School of Public Health. My aim is to adapt, refine, and disseminate harm reduction programs through digital health interventions to empower individuals and ameliorate substance-related harms.
James Lee
James Lee, PhD, BCBA-D is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington and the Seattle Children’s Autism Center. His research focuses on developing, adapting, and implementing evidence-based practices among underserved families of young autistic children who live in low-resourced communities both domestically and internationally. James has conducted research examining feasibility, effectiveness, and social validity of interventions for caregivers of young autistic children, and he is the lead developer of the Cultural Adaptation Checklist. His primary interest is using implementation science to enhance access to EBP among marginalized families.
Scott Graupensperger
My research focuses on how social influences shape individuals’ health behaviors in both constructive (e.g., physical activity) and risky ways (e.g., alcohol use). I take a translational approach to my research in that I aim to understand how social processes, such as normative influences, relate to behavior so that we can leverage these influences to reduce harm and improve health.
Specific areas of interest include alcohol and other substance use, mental health, and gambling/sports betting. My primary focus is helping young adults during the transition into adulthood.
I have a background in sport psychology, and am passionate about helping athletes navigate the unique stressors involved in high-level sport. In this domain, I serve as a fellow at the U.S. Center for Mental Health and Sport.
Maya Magarati
My scholarship is dedicated to reducing behavioral health disparities in Indigenous, immigrant and refugee communities. I have 13 years of experience and expertise in community-based participatory research (CBPR) science and practice, mixed-methods multi-level research design, cultural adaptation and translation of evidenced based interventions and culture-based practices, survey and measurement development, and dissemination and translation of findings. I am interested in examining culture-centered, land-based healing practices and mechanisms in addressing substance use, sexual health, and climate change impact.
Marco Pravetoni
The Pravetoni group focuses on development and translation of medical interventions against substance use disorders (SUD) and other chemical and biological threats. Current efforts are: 1) vaccines, monoclonal antibodies (mAb), and small molecules to treat or prevent SUD, opioid use disorders (OUD) and overdose, 2) mechanisms and biomarkers underlying or predicting efficacy of immunotherapeutics and medications in pre-clinical models of SUD and OUD patients, 3) novel strategies to enhance vaccine or medication efficacy, including immunomodulators, small molecules, adjuvants, nanoparticles, polymers and other delivery platforms, 4) Vaccines, mAb, and clinical biomarkers against infectious diseases (e.g., Pseudomonas aeruginosa and novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2), 5) biosensors for field detection or diagnosis.
Bill O’Connell
As part of my faculty appointment, I am Director of the Behavioral Health Support Specialist (BHSS) Workforce Development Project. My responsibilities include oversight of curriculum development, practicum guidelines, development of community partnerships and advocacy for reimbursement pathways.
Behavioral Health Support Specialist Workforce Development Project
I am working with a talented project team to develop a competency framework and curriculum to prepare a bachelor level Behavioral Health Support Specialist (BHSS). A BHSS will deliver brief, culturally responsive, evidence-informed interventions for common mental and behavioral health conditions under supervision in a team-based setting. The BHSS will use a measurement-based care approach to ensure patients are receiving the right level of care at the right dose. Crisis services, integrated care and specialty behavioral healthcare are examples of work environments that will benefit from a BHSS. Our project goal is to support higher educational programs across the state implement the BHSS clinical training program in academic year 25-26. During my time working as a primary care behavioral health consultant, I frequently met with senior patients from diverse backgrounds who had never spoken with a behavioral health provider in their lifetime despite experiencing moderate to severe symptoms of a mental or behavioral health condition. One reason I found unacceptable was lack of access to services. The bachelor level Behavioral Health Support Specialist role is one solution of many to improving access to care and expanding the available workforce.
Scholarship
My current scholarship focuses on behavioral health workforce development and best practices in teaching and training bachelor level intervention specialists for behavioral health settings. In addition to my current role as BHSS project co-investigator, I served as principal investigator for a philanthropic gift from Robert Craves to expand access to school counseling services at Bailey Gatzert Elementary School in the Yesler Terrace neighborhood of Seattle. I also engaged in community-based research with Village Spirit Center for Community Change and Healing located in the Central District to produce a mental health needs assessment for residents who had experienced homelessness prior to obtaining secure housing. Previous peer reviewed publications focused on counselor preparation for employment in behavioral health agencies, best practices in counselor preparation and ethical dilemmas in counselor practice.
Certification and Licensure
I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in the State of Washington and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Colorado. Additionally, I am a National Certified Counselor (NCC), and an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) through the National Board of Certified Counselors and the Center for Credentialing and Education.
Career Roles
- Associate Professor (WOT), Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington (2022-Present).
- Regional Director of Behavioral Health and Primary Care Behavioral Health Consultant for One Medical Seniors (2018-2021)
- Department Chair of Leadership and Professional Studies at Seattle University (2014-2017)
- Associate Professor of Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling at Seattle University (2010-2019)
- Associate Professor of Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling at Xavier University in Ohio (2001-2010)
- Past President of the Ohio Counseling Association (2006-2009)
- Assistant Clinical Director for Talbert House Inc. (1998-2001)
- *Private Practice Therapist and Consultant (1997-2010)
- Adult Therapist for Clermont Counseling Center in Milford, Ohio (1994-1997)
- Crisis Intervention Specialist for Talbert House Inc. (1990-1993)
- Adult Therapist for Care Unit Chemical Dependency Hospital in Ohio (1988-1990)
*I owned a private practice in the Greater Cincinnati Area for twelve years providing behavioral medicine consultation in an integrated pain management practice, clinical consultation to behavioral health organizations, and training and education on ethical and professional issues for mental health providers. Additionally, I provided individual, couple and family counseling in a group psychology practice with a special focus on serving the LGBTQI+ community and persons with trauma history.
