Bita Moghaddam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bita Moghaddam
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| Born |
Iran
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | PhD at University of Kansas, Postdoctoral work at Yale University |
| Known for | Glutamate hyperactivity and disinhibition hypothesis of schizophrenia, original identification of the prefrontal cortex dopamine-glutamate circuitry as the site of action of ketamine and implicating this circuitry in stress and anxiety Author of KETAMINE MIT Press/Penguin Random House |
| Awards | Dolores Shockley Award, Paul Jansen Award for Excellence in Schizophrenia Research, Efron Award for Excellence in Research Related to Neuropsychopharmacology, 2014 CINP Neuroscience Basic Research Award, MERIT Award from the National Institute of Mental Health |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Neuroscience |
| Institutions | Yale, University of Pittsburgh, Oregon Health & Science University |
Bita Moghaddam is an Iranian-American neuroscientist, which is a scientist who studies the brain and nervous system. She is also an author. Currently, she is a professor at Oregon Health & Science University.
Dr. Moghaddam studies how our brain creates emotions and thoughts. Her goal is to use this knowledge to help find new ways to treat and prevent illnesses that affect the brain.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Bita Moghaddam grew up in Iran. Her parents taught her that education was very important. In the late 1970s, she moved to the United States to continue her studies.
She went to Avila University and graduated in 1982 with a degree in chemistry. She then went to the University of Kansas for her PhD. At first, she planned to continue studying chemistry. However, she was inspired by a professor who used chemistry to understand how the brain works.
Moghaddam became very interested in the brain processes related to schizophrenia, a serious brain condition. She decided to make neuroscience her career. She learned how to build special tools to study brain chemistry.
After earning her PhD in 1987, she did more training at Yale University. There, she studied how chemicals in the brain, like dopamine, send signals. Dopamine is a chemical that helps control movement, motivation, and feelings of pleasure.
Career and Research
In 1990, Dr. Moghaddam started her own science lab at Yale University. She studied parts of the brain that are important in conditions like schizophrenia. Her work helped show how brain cells become active when we expect something good to happen.
Studying Brain Chemicals
Dr. Moghaddam began to focus on another important brain chemical called glutamate. She thought that problems with glutamate signals might be a major cause of schizophrenia. Glutamate is a key chemical that helps brain cells communicate with each other.
Her research showed that stress can change the levels of both dopamine and glutamate in the brain. She also discovered how different brain chemicals work together. This was a big step in understanding how the brain works under stress.
A New Chapter in Pittsburgh
In 2003, Dr. Moghaddam moved to the University of Pittsburgh. She continued her research and also became a mentor to many students. She taught them about neuroscience and helped them start their own careers in science.
Her lab studied how brain chemicals affect behavior in models of anxiety and schizophrenia. She also began to study the brain during the teenage years. This is because many mental health conditions first appear when people are adolescents. She hoped to find ways to prevent these conditions from developing in adults.
Leadership at OHSU
In 2017, Dr. Moghaddam joined Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) as the head of the Department of Behavioral Neuroscience. She continues to lead important research on how the brain controls our thoughts and feelings.
Her work looks at brain areas involved in schizophrenia, anxiety, ADHD, and addiction. Besides running her lab, she is a leader in her department. She also works to encourage women and young students to pursue careers in science.
Awards and Honors
Dr. Moghaddam has received many awards for her important research, including:
- Dolores Shockley Award
- Paul Jansen Award for Excellence in Schizophrenia Research
- Efron Award for Excellence in Research Related to Neuropsychopharmacology
- Collegium Internationale Neuro-Psychopharmacology Neuroscience Basic Research Award
- MERIT award from the National Institute of Mental Health
- Fogarty Senior Fellowship Award
Books
- KETAMINE *[1]
Personal Life
Moghaddam's father was a judge in Iran and wrote several books. She has been married to another neuroscientist, Charles W. Bradberry, since 1989. They have two children.
