The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research, affiliated with uOttawa
Clifford Cassidy, PhD
Assistant Professor
Cellular and Molecular Medicine
University of Ottawa
Scientist
The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research
Associate Researcher
Douglas Institute, McGill University
Director of Scholar Activity and Research Stream
Postgraduate Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Ottawa
Our research program uses neuroimaging to understand the relationship between brain activity and behaviour. Our research aims to better understand cognitive and affective processes that underlie psychopathology and to develop biomarkers to predict clinical outcomes. We are specifically interested in the dopamine and noradrenaline neurotransmitter systems and how these may be disrupted in conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer's disease, and addiction. We are also interested in how these systems function in healthy individuals over the lifespan.
Our lab is located in the Military Mental Health Unit of The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research (IMHR) and we collaborate closely with Defence Research and Development Canada. As such we have active studies investigating mental health of Canadian Forces active duty members and veterans, the latter through The Royal’s Operational Stress Injury (OSI) Clinic. We also maintain close ties with The Royal’s Schizophrenia Program and Dr. Cassidy is involved with the Parkinson’s Research Consortium at the University of Ottawa and the Centre for Studies in Aging at McGill University.
Our imaging studies are conducted on the PET-MR scanner at The Royal’s Brain Imaging Centre (BIC).