The UPLiFT Lab is a diverse team of researchers interested in suicide behaviors, trauma-related psychopathology, and emotion regulation.
Click below to learn more about our lab values.
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.
Lab Faculty
Dr. Emily Weiss, PhD. (she/her)
Yale School of Medicine
Dr. Weiss was previously 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.
Dr. Jenn Loya, PhD. (she/her)
Associate Research Scientist | Yale School of Medicine
Dr. Loya is a licensed clinical psychologist and an Associate Research Scientist in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine. She received her PhD in Psychology (Clinical concentration) from George Mason University in 2021, following her predoctoral psychology internship in Dialectical Behavior Therapy Services, an adult intensive outpatient program, within the Yale Doctoral Internship in Clinical and Community Psychology. During her internship year (2020-2021), she began working with Dr. Davis, who served as her research mentor. They have continued collaborating on research projects examining problems associated with emotion dysregulation (e.g., borderline personality disorder), as well as suicide and trauma. Outside of work, Dr. Loya values spending time with loved ones and enjoys exploring new places whenever possible and listening to music to unwind and recharge.
Post Docs
Dr. Elizabeth Duraney, PhD. (she/her)
Postdoctoral Fellow | Yale School of Medicine
Dr. Duraney is a Postdoctoral Fellow on a NIDA T32 fellowship. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The Ohio State University in 2025 after completing her pre-doctoral internship at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System. Her research interests involve utilizing a multi-method approach, including neuroimaging and behavioral methods, to understand and characterize emotion dysregulation. Currently, she is interested in examining the neurobiological underpinnings of emotion dysregulation in substance use disorders and borderline personality disorder. She is also interested in examining potential treatments for difficulties with emotion regulation with an emphasis on mindfulness-based approaches.
Clinically, Dr. Duraney focuses on treating individuals with emotion regulation and trauma-and-stressor related conditions. She has clinical experience providing dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), mindfulness-based approaches (i.e., MBSR and ACT), cognitive-behavioral approaches (i.e., CBT and CPT), and prolonged exposure therapy (PE). She also has a background in rehabilitation psychology and has worked with individuals with various chronic health conditions (e.g., multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) using a behavioral medicine approach.
In her free time, she enjoys trying new food, cooking, sharpening her interior decorating skills, and spending time with her husband and dog, Ginger.
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. In her free time, Dayna enjoys listening to The Weeknd, hiking, and watching movies from the early 2000s. 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!
Graduate Students
Ruoning “Ning” Li, Bsc.
Developmental Neuroscience & Psychopathology Program | University College London, in collaboration with Yale University - Yale Child Study Center
Ruoning Li is currently a graduate student in the Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology program, jointly offered by University College London (UCL) and Yale University. She received her BSc in Psychology from UCL in 2023. Her undergraduate thesis investigated the effects of Cyberball exclusion on facial muscle activity using facial EMG and examined the mediating role of social anxiety.
Her research background involves eating disorders, depression, and autism, using both behavioral measures and neuroimaging techniques such as EEG and fMRI. She is particularly interested in the links between eating disorders, interoceptive processes, and social influences. Looking ahead, she intends to pursue a PhD or a PsyD in Clinical Psychology.
Outside of research, Ruoning enjoys traveling, dancing, drumming, baking, and spending time with her seven cats!
Lab Alumni
Xiaoyuan Li, M.Res. (she/her)
Developmental Neuroscience & Psychopathology Program | University College London, in collaboration with Yale University - Yale Child Study Center
Xiaoyuan Li is a graduate student in the Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology program, a joint program between University College London and Yale University. During her time in the UPLiFT Lab, her research focused on interoceptive deficits in eating disorders, integrating neurobiological and psychoanalytic perspectives, and utilizing PET imaging to examine kappa opioid receptor availability. Her broader research interests include how human emotions interact with the body, particularly in relation to eating, sleep, and pain perception, as well as the neural mechanisms underlying these processes and potential intervention. She is considering applying for a PhD to further explore these topics. Outside of academia, she enjoys photography, exploring food, and traveling.
Ashley Wagner, B.S. (she/her)
Research Assistant II Alumn | Yale School of Medicine
UCONN Social Psychology PhD. Student
Collaborators
David Klemanski, Psy.D., M.PH. - Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Assistant Professor
Anthony Fortuna, PhD. - 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 Graduate Student
Xiaoyuan Li, M.Res. - University College of London, Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology Master of Research Former 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
UPLiFT Furry Friends
Meet Maggie’s Pets!
Hopper
Foz
Teddy
Meet Emily’s Pets!
Junebug (left) and Jigi (right)
Meet Rachel’s Pets!
Meet Ning’s Pets!
Binx
Salem
Meet Victoria’s Pets!
Angus
Juneau
Meet Dayna’s Pets!
Stormy
Chase
Meet Elizabeth’s Pet!
Ginger