Contact Information

Effective June 5, 2018, student contact information is not available here. For more information, visit go.vcu.edu/hb1.

Graduate Student
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Education

  • University of Michigan, Master of Public Health in Health Behavior and Health Equity and Public Health Genetics, 2025
  • University of Vermont, Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience, 2021

Research Interests

  • Suicide
  • Major Depression
  • Substance Use Disorders
  • Psychiatric Pharmacogenomics
  • Equitable Precision Medicine

Research Description

I am pursuing a Ph.D. in Human Genetics with a focus in Quantitative Genetics at VCU, where I am also completing a master’s in Genetic Counseling. My research focuses on complex psychiatric traits and disorders, with particular interests in suicide and alcohol use disorders. I hope to help translate psychiatric genetics research into meaningful improvements in clinical care.

Mentor/Lab

Awards

  • Watts Scholarship for Doctoral Student Enhancement
  • Michigan Association of Genetic Counselors Scholarship
  • University Vermont Student Research Conference Awardee

Selected Publications

Tracksdorf T, Smith DM, Pearse S, Cicali EJ, Aquilante CL, Scott SA, Ho TT, Patel JN, Hicks JK, Hertz DL. Strategies for DPYD testing prior to fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy in the US. Support Care Cancer. 2024 Jul 9;32(8):497. doi: 10.1007/s00520-024-08674-1. PMID: 38980476.

Pearse, S. The Effects of Maternal Antidepressant Usage on a Child’s Psychological Health. University of Vermont. 2021 Jan. https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/items/e7f05daf-8410-48d3-9c7a-a426b9c17a55