2013 Research Grant Recipient

Susannah Tye, Ph.D., is director of the Mayo Clinic Depression Center Translational Neuroscience Laboratory in the Department of Psychiatry & Psychology at Mayo Clinic.

Dr. Tye has a passion for neuroscience and translating basic research to both clinical practice and community interventions. The focus of her research is to characterize the role of stress hormones in bipolar disorder and depression, and identify new ways to improve the effectiveness of antidepressants for patients with mood disorders; particularly for those that do not respond to first line treatments. Her team is currently working to identify biomarkers of antidepressant resistance and lithium response, as well as to rapidly translate this biomarker knowledge into viable new early intervention and individualized psychiatric treatment strategies.

Dr. Tye’s team have recently validated a preclinical animal model of antidepressant resistance and identified cellular and behavioral responses to stress that function to block therapeutic outcomes for first line antidepressants. Dr. Tye is also investigating how deep brain stimulation is able to overcome antidepressant resistance, and under certain conditions, induce a mania-like state. Using this approach, Dr Tye and her team have developed a biphasic model of mood regulation to better study the integrated mechanisms of mood regulation. Such a model will cornerstone translational research aimed at improving prevention, diagnosis, treatment and understanding of bipolar disorder.

Dr. Tye is also actively involved in community outreach, and has developed and implemented high school based brain awareness programs. She has presented at national and international conferences on topics relating to addiction, depression and bipolar disorder. Dr. Tye provides mentorship to undergraduate and doctoral students as well as post-doctoral fellows both locally and abroad.