Biography
Dr. Andrew Nicholson completed his Ph.D. in Neuroscience at Western University, Canada, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. He additionally completed two postdoctoral fellowships at the Homewood Research Institute (HRI), Canada, and at the University of Vienna, Austria.
Nicholson is currently the Director of Clinical Research at the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families, and is an Assistant Professor within the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa, Canada. Nicholson is also an affiliated Scientist with the University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research at the Royal Ottawa Hospital, Canada.
Research
Nicholson’s research program is characterized by brain imaging studies in the field of psychiatric medicine, utilizing a wide range of technical methods including real-time fMRI, and most recently, the application of machine learning models to predict psychiatric illness. Dr. Nicholson’s research focuses on examining differential biomarkers of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using neuroimaging methods, as well as examining transdiagnostic biomarkers of other psychiatric disorders.
Additionally, Nicholson’s research network is heavily involved in developing novel brain computer interfaces to be used as adjunctive treatments for patients with PTSD such that individuals can voluntarily learn to regulate brain states associated with symptoms. Indeed, Nicholson's group is currently examining randomized clinical trials of neurofeedback in PTSD.
Nicholson’s lab is also interested in investigating the neural underpinnings of minority stress and its relation to mental illness risk and resiliency.