Tuesday, October 13, 2026, 2:00 pm EDT
PTSD research has entered a remarkable new era. Using cutting-edge technologies that examine individual brain cells and the three-dimensional organization of DNA, researchers are uncovering how trauma reshapes the brain, revealing new biological targets that could lead to more effective and personalized treatments for people living with PTSD.
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Presented by
Matthew J. Girgenti, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
2019 Young Investigator Grant
2023 Young Investigator Grant
Matthew Girgenti, Ph.D., is a molecular biologist and neuroscientist whose research seeks to understand the biological mechanisms underlying post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression, and alcohol use disorder. He is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine and Deputy Director for Research at the VA PTSD Brain Bank, where he leads research integrating human genetics, single-cell genomics, and molecular neuroscience to identify underlying biology and new therapeutic targets for psychiatric disorders. His research is helping transform our understanding of PTSD by linking genetic risk to changes in brain cells and identifying promising new targets for the next generation of treatments.
Moderated by
Brain & Behavior Research Foundation
Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., serves as the President & CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, the largest private funder of mental health research grants. Dr. Borenstein developed the Emmy-nominated public television program “Healthy Minds,” and serves as host and executive producer of the series. The program, broadcast nationwide, is available online, and focuses on topics in psychiatry in order to educate the public, reduce stigma and offer a message of hope. Dr. Borenstein served as Editor-in-Chief of Psychiatric News, the newspaper of the American Psychiatric Association from 2012 - 2023.
Dr. Borenstein is a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine and serves as the Chair of the Section of Psychiatry at the Academy. He also has served as the President of the New York State Psychiatric Association. Dr. Borenstein earned his undergraduate degree at Harvard and his medical degree at New York University.
