Dr Yasmin Zakiniaeiz PhD

Dr. Yasmin Zakiniaeiz is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine. Her career is centred on advanced neuroimaging to understand the biological mechanisms behind substance use and behavioural disorders. Her programme has been backed by notable grants, including a K01 award from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) to study sex differences in AUD neurodegeneration.

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Dr. Zakiniaeiz's research primarily focuses on the neural and molecular circuitry that drives addictions and impacts at-risk populations. Her work strongly emphasizes sex as a biological variable, investigating how addiction and neurodegeneration affect men and women differently. She specialises in studying:

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• Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and tobacco smoking

• Prenatal cocaine exposure in adolescents

• Gambling disorder

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To observe these pathways in the brain, she uses two primary neuroimaging techniques: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET). 

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Dr. Zakiniaeiz has received multiple competitive honors for her contributions to psychiatric and addiction research:

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• Society of Biological Psychiatry (SOBP) Travel Fellowship Award (2024)

• Early Career Award from the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP)

• Enoch Gordis Award from the Research Society on Alcoholism

• Young Investigator Memorial Travel Award (2022)