Ismene Petrakis
Ismene Petrakis
Professor of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine; Chief of Psychiatry
VA Connecticut Healthcare System
Elected to the Academy in 2023

Education

Northwestern University, 1983, BA; University of Pittsburgh, 1987,

Professional Area

Has had a major clinical impact because due to ability to develop a compelling translational neuroscience program that refines research hypotheses in clinical laboratory settings, conducts pilot clinical trial, and then leads definitive multi-center clinical trials. Applying this approach, she identified and validated pharmacotherapy strategies for PTSD comorbid with alcohol use disorder and opioid use disorder. She also identified a novel pharmacotherapy for cocaine use disorder.

Citation

Leading expert on the mental health of veterans in the State of Connecticut; a pioneer in the treatment of patients suffering from both addictions and mental illness. These “dually diagnosed” patients constitute a major public health burden and require specialized interventions to respond to their complex needs.