Deepak K. Sarpal, M.D. trained as a psychiatrist at The Zucker Hillside Hospital, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and serves as Medical Director of the Services for the Treatment of Early Psychosis (STEP) clinic at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital. His research focuses on neural mechanisms associated with antipsychotic treatment response and clinical outcomes of psychotic disorders. His work has been supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, and the Pittsburgh Foundation.
Annie (she/her) joined the Sarpal lab in March of 2019. She completed her Bachelor’s degree as a dual major in English Literature and Psychology at Lycoming College in May 2017. In September 2018, she completed her Master’s in Clinical Neuropsychology with a focus on neurolinguistics and language production at Bangor University in Wales, where she graduated with Distinction. She has presented her research in the Netherlands, Czech Republic, and in her home city of Pittsburgh at the annual University of Pittsburgh Research Day. Outside of the lab, Annie enjoys trying new restaurants and breweries in the Pittsburgh area and watching movies with her cats.
blazera@upmc.edu
Samira graduated with a Ph.D. in neuroscience from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences. With a background in radiology and anatomy, she has developed expertise in neuroimaging data analysis. Her skills include magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) analysis. In July 2024, she joined Dr. Sarpal's lab as a postdoctoral scholar, where she continues to contribute to cutting-edge research in neuroscience.
raminfards@upmc.edu
Tori joined the lab as a research specialist in May of 2023. After completing her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 2018, she worked in affective neuroscience research within Pitt’s Psychiatry department. Tori went on to work as a psychiatric specialist and later mental health specialist within hospital systems in NY and NJ. Her research interests more broadly include exploring the intersections between neuroimaging efforts and psychiatric treatment outcomes. While not in the lab, Tori enjoys gardening and renovating her 110 year old house.
blazinskit2@upmc.edu
Warren Snover graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in April 2023 with a Major in Math and a minor in Physics. His research areas involve computational processing and analysis of neuro-imaging data.
snoverw@upmc.edu
Tate graduated from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2018 with a BS in Psychology and Philosophy. After graduating, he worked as a research assistant in the Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders Laboratory at the Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research at McLean Hospital in Boston, MA. Currently, Tate is a student at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and a medical student researcher in the Laboratory of Psychiatric Treatments and Outcomes. His research interests include using neuroimaging modalities to identifying structural and functional factors that play a role in determining treatment response to antipsychotic medications in those with schizophrenia.
overbeyt@upmc.edu
Mike Pupi completed his B.S. in Chemistry at Duke University in 2021 before beginning at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and subsequently joining the Sarpal Lab in May of 2022. His research focuses on the impact of antipsychotic treatment on functional connectivity and local neurometabolites through analysis of 7T fMRI and MRSI data, with an emphasis on how these factors relate to treatment response.
pupim@upmc.edu