Rajpreet Chahal, Ph.D.

Rajpreet Chahal, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Researcher & Early Career Director of the Association for Clinical & Translational Science

Stanford University

Biography

I am a translational neuroscientist investigating neurodevelopmental pathways that contribute to psychopathology risk and resilience in adolescence. Specifically, I leverage multimodal neuroimaging methods to characterize long-term relations among experiential risk, brain development, and the onset/prognosis of internalizing symptoms during the pubertal phase. The goal of this translational research is to provide the foundation for future studies that target specific neural systems to develop more effective person-centered interventions.

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Interests
  • Adolescent Psychopathology
  • Developmental Neuroscience
  • Multimodal Brain Imaging Methods
  • Precision Mental Health
Education
  • Postdoctoral Scholar, 2019-

    Stanford University

  • Ph.D. in Human Development with Designated Emphasis in Translational Science, 2015-2019

    University of California Davis

  • B.S. in Psychology with Emphasis in Biology, 2008-2012

    University of California Davis

Skills

R
Statistics
Neuroimaging
Longitudinal Modeling
Precision Mental Health
Doggos

Experience

 
 
 
 
 
Department of Psychology, Stanford University
NIH F32 & Klingenstein Foundation Postdoctoral Scholar, Supervised by Ian Gotlib, Ph.D.
Sep 2019 – Present California
Examining the effects of early life stress on the development of large-scale structural and functional brain circuits to understand when and in whom neurobiological alterations arise and confer risk for depression and suicidal ideation. The goal of this research is to guide person-centered approaches to detect vulnerability for and predict the course of depression.
 
 
 
 
 
The Association for Clinical & Translational Science
Early Career Director
Jun 2019 – Present
 
 
 
 
 
Center for Mind & Brain & University of California, Davis Health System
TL1 Pre-doctoral Clinical Training Scholar, Supervised by Amanda Guyer, Ph.D.
Sep 2015 – Jun 2019 California
Examined topographical signatures in white matter tracts as they reflect the history of depressive symptoms in adolescent girls, and patterns of functional connectivity, revealed by neural biotyping, as they forecast future internalizing symptoms in at-risk adolescents.
 
 
 
 
 
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center - Western Psychiatric Institute & Clinic
Research Specialist, Supervised by Beatriz Luna, Ph.D. & Michael Hallquist, Ph.D.
Jul 2012 – Aug 2015 Pennsylvania
Coordinated recruitment efforts and collected data for multiple longitudinal studies investigating cognitive development in typically-developing and at-risk children, adolescents, and adults. Tested subjects on behavioral and imaging protocols using eye-tracking, fMRI, MEG, and PET. Examined neural influences on incentive processing and inhibitory control during adolescence.
 
 
 
 
 
Center for Mind & Brain, University of California, Davis
Research Assistant, Supervised by Joy Geng, Ph.D.
Jun 2011 – Jun 2012 California
Administered eye-tracking studies and ran behavioral analyses exploring incentive influences on attentional control in young adults.

Grants & Awards

Fellowship in Child & Adolescent Depression (2 years)
Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (F32; 3 years)
TL-1 Pre-Doctoral Clinical Training Scholar Award (2 years)

Recent Publications

(2022). Sex-specific vulnerability to depressive symptoms across adolescence and during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of the cingulum bundle. JCPP Advances.

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(2022). Early Life Stress and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence: Implications for Risk and Adaptation. Springer.

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(2021). Testing a Developmental Model of Positive Parenting, Amygdala–Subgenual Anterior Cingulate Cortex Connectivity, and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science.

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(2021). White Matter Microstructural Properties of the Cerebellar Peduncles Predict Change in Symptoms of Psychopathology in Adolescent Girls. The Cerebellum.

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(2021). Neural responses to implicit forms of peer influence in young adults. Social Neuroscience.

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