Lab Director
Dr. Margaret “Maggie” T. Davis, PhD. (she/her)
Associate Professor | Yale School of Medicine
Co-appointed faculty | Yale Department of Psychology
Dr. Davis is a licensed clinical psychologist and Associate Professor in the Yale Department of Psychiatry, co-appointed in the Department of Psychology. As an emergent expert in trauma-and-stressor related conditions, her work seeks to identify neurobiological mechanisms underlying behavioral responses related to PTSD, borderline personality disorder and other forms of trauma related psychopathology (e.g. eating disorders, substance use), and their link to suicide behaviors and functional impairment. Specifically, using PET imaging and fMRI Dr. Davis aims to explore novel biomarkers and potential treatment targets with the potential to reduce risk in survivors of trauma. Her current K08, R21 and R01 grants (funded by NIMH) and Young Investigator grant from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) investigate the role of endogenous glutamate and opioid systems on 1) trait markers for suicide behaviors, 2) molecular and behavioral differences across biological sex, and 3) whether these systems have further implications for the risk of opiate misuse and other forms of serious comorbidity in those living with BPD and PTSD.
Beyond her personal research projects, Maggie is a specialist with expertise and clinical experience in prolonged exposure, cognitive processing therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (various protocols) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). She serves as the faculty lead for data integration and research management for the Yale New Haven Health Adult Behavioral Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). Further, Dr. Davis participated in the piloting and validation of the two most widely used assessments for PTSD in the DSM-5 (PCL-5 and the CAPS-5). Dr. Davis commits her life’s work to serving and connecting those in distress to lifesaving interventions and resources. Her impact and experience in the field spans from the treatment of individuals coping with trauma and emotion dysregulation-related symptoms to the system-wide codification of such conditions.
Outside of her work at UPLiFT, Dr. Davis enjoys spending time with her husband and three dogs - Teddy, Hopper, and Foz.
Post Docs
Dr. Emily Weiss, PhD. (she/her)
Postdoctoral Fellow | Yale School of Medicine
Dr. Weiss is a Postdoctoral Fellow on a NIDA T32 fellowship. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The New School for Social Research in 2023 after completing her Pre-doctoral Internship at Yale School of Medicine in Dialectical Behavior Therapy Services. Dr. Weiss’ primary research interests include the neurobiology of transdiagnostic compulsive and risk-related behaviors, including those seen in eating, obsessive-compulsive spectrum, and personality disorders. Additionally, she is interested in role of mindful movement in treating these conditions. In her free time, Dr. Weiss enjoys distance running and spending time with any and all kinds of animals.
Research Assistants
Rachel Miller, MSc. (she/her)
Research Assistant II | Yale School of Medicine
Rachel is a Research Assistant II working under Dr. Davis for the Department of Psychiatry. In 2020, Rachel completed her master’s degree in psychology from Trinity College Dublin. For her master’s thesis, Rachel used mediation modeling with the Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) dataset to determine the impact of negative emotionality on the development of emotional and behavioral difficulties from middle childhood through adolescence. The ultimate goal for this project was to provide further insight into the etiological factors contributing to psychosocial dysfunction in children as well as to construct a model which could potentially predict poor mental health outcomes using negative emotionality as a primary determinant. Currently, Rachel’s research interests include risk and resiliency factors of childhood trauma and the impact of parental attunement on mental health outcomes.
Victoria Hart-Derrick, B.A. (she/her)
Research Assistant I | Yale School of Medicine
Victoria is a Research Assistant I for the Department of Psychiatry. Prior to joining UPLIFT, Victoria received a B.A. in Psychology from Stanford University in 2022 and worked for two years as a Postgraduate Research Associate within the Yale Child Study Center. Her research experience involves behavioral and neuroimaging methodology with EEG, fMRI, and recently PET. Having worked with perinatal women receiving Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder and now participants with BPD and history of trauma, she believes the best science is born from compassionate care and methodology.
Victoria aims to continue examining the development, maintenance, and remittance from problem behaviors associated with Emotion Dysregulation, particularly suicide behaviors and negative posttraumatic cognitions that contribute to increased suicide risk. Victoria plans to pursue a PhD. in Clinical Psychology. In her free time, Victoria enjoys going to trivia, trying new foods, and listening to Taylor Swift!
Dayna Freeman, B.S. (she/her)
Research Assistant I | Yale School of Medicine
Dayna Freeman is a Research Assistant I in the Department of Psychiatry. She received her B.S. in Psychology with a Concentration in Clinical Psychology from Boston College in 2023. As an undergraduate, she researched hippocampal changes in memory processing in older adults and worked as a clinical social work intern at the Brookline Senior Center.
Dayna’s research interests include understanding the relationship between emotional regulation and compulsive behaviors, specifically disordered eating behaviors and substance use, in anxiety and mood-related disorders. She plans to pursue a PhD. or PsyD. in Clinical Psychology. A fun fact about Dayna is that as an undergraduate she worked in a lab that studied African Grey Parrots, a species that can talk, where she helped train them to identify objects and count!
Lab Affiliates
David Klemanski, Psy.D., M.PH. - Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Assistant Professor
Jennifer Loya, PhD. - Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Associate Research Scientist
Anthony Fortuna, M.A. - Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Predoctoral Clinical Fellow - Adult DBT Services
Katie Darvin, B.A. - Long Island University, Post, Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program Student
Gabriella Epshteyn, M.A. - University of Rhode Island, Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Graduate Student
Terra Osterberg, B.A. - University of Montana, Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Graduate Student
Miranda Schaffer, B.A. - Eastern Michigan University, Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Graduate Student
Verenice Torres, B.S. - University of Hartford, Department of Psychology Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student
Xiaoyuan Li, B.S. - University College of London, Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology Master of Research Student
Muskan M.A. - The New School for Social Research, Department of Clinical Psychology - Substance Abuse Track, Research Assistant
Leo Kalotihos, B.A. - Nationwide Children’s Hospital (Columbus, OH), Center for Suicide Prevention, Clinical Research Coordinator
Gabrielle Mathew, B.S. - Harvard University, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Neurosurgery Clinical Research Coordinator
Elizabeth Mattera, B.A. - Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Research Assistant
Katie Myerscough, B.A. - Yale University, Department of Psychology, Postbaccalaureate Research Scholar
Kellyann May Navarre, M.A. - Wake Forest University, Research Assistant & The University of Toronto, Research Advisory Committee
Valentina Phung - University of California at Irvine, Department of Biological Sciences, Undergraduate Student
Veda Murthy - Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, High School Student
