UCLA Candy Lab Information

The CANDY lab is a team of researchers and clinicians focused on understanding how the neurobiological systems underlying our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors change over the course of adolescent development. Our research focuses specifically on how experiences and perceptions of stress play a role in shaping adolescent brain development, and how these changes contribute to the risk of depression and other related conditions (i.e., anxiety, suicidality). We use a suite of clinical neuroscience tools to answer our research questions. Our primary research tools are non-invasive multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based techniques that probe brain metabolism and delineate structural brain patterns associated with stress and depression in adolescents. We also collect blood samples to examine markers of immune functioning and oxidative stress.