Our Team

Meet the CADB Medicine Research Program

Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele, MD

Principal Investigator

Murphy Professor of PsychiatryArea Leader / Division Director of Child and Adolescent PsychiatryNew York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI) Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Adjunct Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College

Dr. Veenstra-VanderWeele is a child and adolescent psychiatrist and translational neuroscientist who uses molecular and clinical neuroscience research tools in the pursuit of new treatments for autism spectrum disorder and pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder. The Veenstra-VanderWeele laboratory at Columbia University and NYSPI focuses on key developmental processes underlying social function or repetitive behavior using genetic mouse models as an experimental system. The CADB Medicine Research Program at the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Center for Autism and the Developing Brain (CADB) studies potential treatments for autism spectrum disorder and related genetic disorders. His long-term goal is to be able to develop novel approaches in the molecular laboratory that can then be tested in the clinic. Dr. Veenstra-VanderWeele’s work has been recognized with multiple awards, including the 2017 Blanche Ittelson Award for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry from the American Psychiatric Association. He is dedicated to helping train and develop the next generation of clinicians and scientists who can improve ourunderstanding of childhood developmental and neuropsychiatric conditions and deliver new treatments.

Pankhuree Vandana, MD

Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Columbia University

Research Psychiatrist, New York State Psychiatric Institute

Medical Director, CADB Medicine Research Lab

Dr. Vandana is a dually board‑certified adult and child & adolescent psychiatrist specializing in neurodevelopmental psychiatry. Her work focuses on severe psychiatric disorders in individuals with autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions. She leads the CADB Positive Behavior Support Program, providing specialized inpatient consultative care for individuals with developmental disabilities and complex behaviors. She serves as the Medical Director of the CADB Medicine Research Lab and has served as the study physician for a number of clinical trials at the lab. She also chairs the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Subcommittee of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Autism Committee. Her clinical and research efforts center on improving mental health care and outcomes for individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions.

Karen Tang, PhD

Dr. Karen Tang, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist at the Center for Autism and the Developing Brain (CADB) and Lead Psychologist for the CADB Medicine Research Program. Dr. Tang received her Ph.D. at the University of Notre Dame. She completed her predoctoral internship at Marcus Autism Center at Emory School of Medicine and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and postdoctoral clinical fellowship at CADB at Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM). Dr. Tang was a Research Associate at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) at Harvard Medical School before returning to CADB as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at WCM.Dr. Tang specializes in the assessment and diagnosis of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She is research reliable on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) and Autism Diagnostic Interview, Revised (ADI-R). She has served as a study psychologist on a number of clinical trials conducted at CADB, New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI), and BCH for individuals with ASD and rare genetic disorders across the lifespan. Dr. Tang is a certified provider for RUBI Parent Training for Disruptive Behavior and serves on the steering committee for Project SEARCH Autism Enhancement (PSAE), a vocational internship program for young adults with ASD.

Alyssa Verdes, BA

Alyssa Verdes is currently a Research Assistant at the CADB Medicine Research Program where she assists in conduct of clinical trials for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She graduated in 2021 from William Patterson University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. While completing her undergraduate work, she assisted on projects alongside professors involving Autism and Williams Syndrome. In addition, as part of her undergraduate thesis in the Neuropsychology Honor’s track, she completed work on Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infection (PANDAS). Prior to her position at the CADB Medicine Research Program, she interned at NewBridge Services Inc., a group home for those with Schizoaffective Disorders, as well as substitute taught within a local school system. Alyssa is passionate about scientific research, learning, and bettering the lives of those with developmental disorders.

Suvekcha Bhattachan, MA

Suvekcha Bhattachan is currently a Research Assistant at the CADB Medicine Research Program where she assists in conduct of clinical trials for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She graduated from Teachers College, Columbia University with a MA in Developmental Disabilities and a focus on Autism and Intellectual Disabilities. During her time at Teachers College, Suvekcha assisted in research assessing the writing skills and associated language and literacy domain skills of autistic children using tele-assessment approaches. She worked as an Accommodations Assistant at the TC Office of Access and Services for Individuals with Disabilities prior to joining CADB in 2022. Suvekcha's passion lies in supporting the wellbeing of individuals with autism across the lifespan.

Jennifer Ball, BS

Jennifer Ball graduated from Syracuse University with a bachelor’s degree in Human Development & Family Science and a minor in Psychology. After graduation, she worked in a pediatric therapy and assessment practice providing behavioral therapy to children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in school and clinic settings. She is currently a Research Assistant at CADB where she assists with clinic and research evaluations by administering cognitive, behavioral, and developmental assessments. In the CADB Medicine Research Program, her role includes managing IRB protocols for clinical trials for individuals with ASD and ensuring compliance with Weill Cornell Medicine’s IRB. Jennifer is passionate about supporting individuals with ASD through contributing to innovative research and providing collaborative, compassionate care.

CADB Medicine Research Program Alumni

See what former members of our team have been up to!

Lauren Shuffrey, PhD

Lauren C. Shuffrey, PhD, is an alumni of the CADB Medicine Research Program where she worked on randomized controlled trials for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder as a graduate student. Dr. Shuffrey received her PhD at Columbia University and went on to complete the NIMH T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship for Translational Research in Child Psychiatric Disorders at CUMC and NYSPI. Dr. Shuffrey is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Division of Developmental Neuroscience in the Parent-Infant Fellowship Program at CUMC under the mentorship of Dr. William Fifer. As a developmental psychologist and neuroscientist by training, Dr. Shuffrey’s research is focused on identifying perinatal maternal and environmental risk factors and potential non-invasive markers associated with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Kelly McGuire, MD, MPA

Dr. McGuire is an alumni of the CADB Medicine Research program. She served as Medical Director of the Center for Autism and the Developing Brain (CADB) Medicine Research Program, Assistant Medical Director of clinical psychiatry at CADB, and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC). Dr. McGuire now serves as Medical Director of Psychiatry for Emblem Health.

Elizabeth Aaron, BA

Elizabeth Aaron is an alumni of the CADB Medicine Research Program, where she worked as a research assistant for 2.5 years. She served as project coordinator for the FX-Learn clinical trial and the Autism Biorepository and assisted with the SOARS-B and aV1ation clinical trials. Prior to working at the CADB Medicine Research Program, Elizabeth received her BA in psychology from Skidmore College. Elizabeth is now pursuing a PhD in clinical psychology from Miami University of Ohio.

Micah Davoren, BA

Micah Davoren received her from BA in psychology from Haverford College with a minor in education. She completed an undergraduate research thesis examining attachment style and the therapeutic alliance as predictors of treatment outcome for social anxiety disorder. As a research assistant for the CADB Medicine Research Program, she worked on clinical trials for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and Fragile X syndrome. Micah is currently enrolled in a PsyD program at Roosevelt University,

Miranda Zuniga-Kennedy, BA

Miranda Zuniga-Kennedy is an alumni of the CADB Medicine Research Program, where she worked as a research assistant conducting phase ll clinical trials for adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder for 2.5 years. She graduated from SUNY Binghamton University with a BA in psychology and English literature. Miranda is now pursuing a PhD in clinical psychology with a concentration in neuropsychology at Washington State University.