Bio
Dr. Carolyn Rodriguez utilizes her training as a psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and clinical researcher to innovate rapid-acting treatments to relieve the suffering of patients with severe mental illnesses, including Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). She has led landmark clinical trials that pioneered new targeted treatments and investigated the role of glutamatergic and opioid pathways. As the Director of the Translational Therapeutics Lab and Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, she developed methods that combine in vivo drug infusions with magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalograpy (EEG) to map human brain circuit dysfunction in real time. This experimental medicine approach is critical to understanding the brain basis of psychiatric illnesses and will transform mental health care.
Carolyn is currently engaged in NIH, foundation, and donor funded mechanistic and clinical efficacy studies of glutamate-modulating compounds, non-invasive brain stimulation, and psychotherapy in OCD. Additional studies focus on understanding the brain mechanisms involved in hoarding disorder and how hording behaviors differ from normal collecting. Carolyn also provides mental health care for Veterans as a Consultation-Liaison psychiatrist at the Palo Alto Veterans Affairs.
Carolyn serves as Associate Chair for Inclusion and Diversity in the Department of Psychiatry, Vice Chair for the Research Council of the American Psychiatric Association, Vice Chair for the International OCD Foundation Research Symposium, and Director, Executive Board of International College of Obsessive Compulsive Spectrum Disorders. She has won several national awards, including most recently, the 2017 Eva King-Killam Award for Outstanding Translational Research. Her research has been highlighted by organizations including NPR, PBS, New York Times, ABC News, NBC News, Newsweek, and Time.com. To educate the public on research findings and resources for clinical care, Carolyn contributes articles for Huffington Post and Harvard Business Review.
Carolyn received her B.S. in Computer Science from Harvard University in 1996, followed by a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Genetics from Harvard Medical School and an M.D. from Harvard Medical School-M.I.T. in 2004. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, she now lives with her husband and 3 children in Palo Alto.
Clinical Focus
- Psychiatry
Academic Appointments
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Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
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Member, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
Administrative Appointments
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Associate Chair - Inclusion and Diversity, Stanford Medical School, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (2018 - Present)
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Director, Translational Therapeutics/Rodriguez Lab (2015 - Present)
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Director, Translational OCD Research Program (2015 - Present)
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Director, Stanford Hoarding Disorders Research Program (2015 - Present)
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Clinical Lab Director, Stanford Center for Cognitive and Neurobiological Imaging (CNI) (2018 - Present)
Honors & Awards
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Chairman’s Annual Award for Excellence Across Multiple Missions, Stanford Medical School, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (2018)
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Eva King Killam Research Award for Outstanding Translational Research Contributions, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (2017)
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A.E. Bennett Research Award for Outstanding Contributions to Clinical/Translational Research, Society for Biological Psychiatry (SOBP) (2017)
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Gerald R. Klerman Award Honorable Mention for outstanding clinical research achievement, Brain and Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF/NARSAD) (2017)
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Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Award, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (2015)
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Neuropsychopharmacology Editor's Award for Tranformative Original Report (NEATOR) Award, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (2014)
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Robins/Guze Award, American Psychopathological Association (2014)
Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations
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Vice Chairperson, Council on Research, American Psychiatric Association (APA) (2016 - Present)
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Director, Executive Board of the International College of Obsessive Compulsive Spectrum Disorders (ICOCS) (2015 - Present)
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Co-Chair, International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) Research Symposium (2018 - Present)
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Editorial Board Member, Neuropsychopharmacology Journal (2018 - Present)
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Scientific And Clinical Advisory Board Member, International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) (2018 - Present)
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Scientific Program Committee, American Psychiatric Association (APA) (2016 - Present)
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Scientific Advisory Board Member, OCD Research Partnership (2018 - Present)
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Advisory Board Member, Stanford Center for Cognitive and Neurobiological Imaging (CNI) (2018 - Present)
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Chair, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) Minority Task Force (2017 - 2018)
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Co-Chair, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) Minority Task Force (2016 - 2017)
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Chair, OCD Practice Guidelines Work Group, Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) (2015 - 2016)
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Secretary General, American Society of Hispanic Psychiatry (2012 - 2014)
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Laughlin Fellow, American College of Psychiatrists (2007 - 2009)
Professional Education
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Residency:Columbia Presbyterian Pediatric Residency Program (2008) NY
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Internship:Columbia Presbyterian Pediatric Residency Program (2005) NY
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PhD Training:Harvard Medical School (2004) MA
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Fellowship:Columbia University (2011) NY
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Board Certification: Psychiatry, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (2009)
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BS, Harvard University, Computer Science (1996)
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PhD, Harvard Medical School, Neuroscience (2004)
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MD, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Health Sciences and Technology (2004)
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Medical Education:Harvard Medical School (2004) MA
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Residency, Columbia University-NYSPI, Psychiatry (2008)
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Board Certification, Psychiatry, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (2009)