Anorexia nervosa has the highest rate of death of any psychiatric illness. We are now beginning to understand why people develop these disorders, and we are using this information to develop more effective treatment.

Walter H. Kaye, MD

Dr. Walter Kaye was recruited to the UC San Diego faculty from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, where he was research director of the eating disorder program, and where he received a NIMH senior scientist award.

Dr. Kaye’s current research is focused on exploring the relationship between brain and behavior using brain imaging and genetics, and developing and applying new treatments for anorexia and bulimia nervosa. He is the principal investigator for an international, multi-site collaboration on the genetics of anorexia and bulimia nervosa. He has an international reputation in the field of eating disorders and is the author of more than 300 articles and publications. He attended Ohio State Medical School, trained in neurology at the University of Southern California and trained in psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Kaye was then a fellow and research physician at the National Institute of Mental Health for seven years where he conducted research on appetite regulation, behavior and treatment for disorders.

As Director of the University of California, San Diego Eating Disorder Treatment and Research Program, Dr. Kaye and his clinical team are treating anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders with an innovative, intensive program that approaches the problem on multiple levels, including medical, psychological, psycho-educational and counseling of the family as key support group.

Christina Wierenga, Ph.D., is a Professor and clinical neuropsychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Diego. She is an expert in the neurobiology of eating disorders and is the Director of the Research at the UCSD Eating Disorder Center for Treatment and Research, where she investigates cognitive, behavioral and brain mechanisms underlying symptom expression in eating disorders utilizing neuropsychological, neuroimaging and computational neuroscience approaches to guide development of neurobiologically-informed treatments. This has led to the co-development of Temperament Based Therapy with Support (TBT-S), an innovative, neurobiologically-informed treatment for anorexia nervosa. She also leads a measurement-based care program evaluating eating disorder treatment outcomes to advance clinical care. She has published numerous journal articles and two books, including the Handbook of the Neurobiology of Eating Disorders. She is a Fellow of Division 40 (Neuropsychology) of the American Psychological Association (APA) and is a Fellow of the Academy of Eating Disorders and Member of the Eating Disorders Research Society. She has received grants from multiple agencies including the National Institutes of Health, National Eating Disorders Association, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and has served in leadership roles across several international organizations, including the Academy of Eating Disorders. As a CA licensed clinical psychologist she has been working with adolescents and adults with eating disorders for over a decade. She also teaches and supervises graduate students, interns, and postdoctoral fellows and is Co-Director of the UCSD/VA Psychology Internship Training Program.

Dr. Makowski is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UC San Diego. She earned her BSc in Psychology and PhD in Neuroscience from McGill University, and completed her postdoctoral training in UCSD’s Department of Radiology. Her research bridges multiple scales of neuroscience to better understand the development of adolescent psychiatric disorders. She has a vested interest in identifying neurobiologically-informed predictive markers of eating disorders (e.g., through integration of multimodal MRI, genetics, and temperament) to meaningfully improve treatments for patients. Dr. Makowski's research has been supported by the National Institutes of Mental Health, the Brain Behavior Foundation, the Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, and by Canadian federal (Canadian Institutes of Health Research) and provincial (Fonds de Recherche du Quebec- Santé) funding mechanisms. Dr. Makowski is also an investigator within the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study Consortium. When she’s not wrangling big data, you can find her running along the coastline, dancing, or getting lost in a good book.

Megan is a research coordinator at the UC San Diego Eating Disorders Center. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, Anthropology, and a certificate in Women’s Studies from the University of Pittsburgh in 2015. Megan went on to earn her Master of Business Administration from West Virginia University in 2023. Prior to joining the EDC, she worked in various research labs at the University of Pittsburgh focusing on depression, autism spectrum, trauma, personality disorders, and eating disorders. Megan is passionate about eating disorder research and contributing to a better understanding of eating disorders and treatment. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors and with her family.

Audrey joined the UC San Diego Eating Disorders Center (EDC) as an undergraduate research assistant in 2019 and continued her time at the EDC as a research coordinator in 2020. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Clinical Psychology from UC San Diego in 2020. Audrey went on to earn a certificate in Crisis Intervention for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault from the Women's Resource Center of Oceanside in 2024 and is pursuing her Masters of Social Work degree at San Diego State University. Audrey is passionate about eating disorders and mental health research and treatment, particularly among marginalized and minority communities. Outside of work, you can find Audrey at South Mission Beach playing volleyball or at home playing video games and hanging out with her cat.

Miki received her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from University of California, San Diego. Combining her interests in cognitive neuropsychology with her experience in computer science, she is currently working as a research associate for the neuroimaging studies conducted at the UCSD Eating Disorders Treatment and Research Center. As a member of the research team, she assists in fMRI data analysis that examines the neurobiology of eating disorders. She is particularly interested in effects of long-term illness on brain functions and has previously worked for neuroimaging studies in HIV, substance abuse, and child development.

Sophie is a PhD candidate in Clinical Psychology in Dr. Thomas Joiner's laboratory at Florida State University, and joined the UC San Diego Eating Disorders Center as a staff research associate in 2024. She is currently an APA predoctoral psychology intern. She previously completed her B.A. in Behavioral Neuroscience and Anthropology from the University of San Diego in 2019 and her M.S. in Psychology from Drexel University in 2021. Sophie's research focuses on the intersection between eating disorders and gastrointestinal symptoms, underlying neurobiological mechanisms of eating disorders, and diagnosis and classification. In her free time, she enjoys running, gardening, going to the beach, and spending time with her cat.

Katie joined the UC San Diego Eating Disorders Center as a staff research associate in 2023. Since graduating from Arizona State University in 2017 with her Bachelor of Science degree, she has worked in nutritional behavior research at UNC-Chapel Hill, and then as a therapeutic assistant and supervisor at Veritas Collaborative. Katie is passionate about her current role, where she can combine her interests and skills in both neuroimaging research and clinical treatment settings to support the center’s mission of improving the lives of our patients via evidence-based treatment. Outside of work, Katie enjoys crocheting, riding her bicycle, and exploring San Diego and beyond with her dog.

Dr. Shefali Rai completed her PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Calgary, where she used precision functional MRI to examine individualized brain network organization in both children and adults. Her research focused on advancing neuroimaging methods to better understand neurodevelopment. As a postdoctoral scholar in the BRIDGE Lab and the UCSD Eating Disorders Center, Dr. Rai aims to integrate multimodal metrics (MRI, genetics, behavioral data) to identify neurobiological markers that can inform early detection and precise interventions for youth. Outside of work, you can find Shefali baking, spending time outside with family, and swimming.