Biography

Brian completed a dual bachelors of science in biology with a minor in neuroscience and bachelors of arts in psychology with a minor in philosophy at Loyola University Chicago (2008-2012). He earned two separate senior honors theses in biology in the laboratory of Dr. Louis Lucas and in psychology in the laboratory of Dr. Robert Morrison studying behavioral neuroscience across species in rodents and humans.

Brian then completed his dual MD/PhD training at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities in their Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP, 2012-2020). He earned his PhD in neuroscience co-mentored by Drs. Mark Thomas and David Redish studying complex decision-making processes by applying principles in neuroeconomics across species. Brian’s graduate work was funded by the MnDRIVE Neuromodulation Fellowship as well as an F30 NRSA from NIDA and received three separate best PhD awards including from the University of Minnesota, the National Council of Graduate Studies, and the Society for Neuroscience’s Donald B. Lindsley Prize in behavioral neuroscience, as well as being named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 List in science.

Brian then completed his psychiatry residency training on the physician-scientist research track at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City (2020-2024) during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, where he also served as Chief Resident for research. Brian was mentored by Drs. Eric Nestler, Scott Russo, Denise Cai, and Helen Mayberg where he was able to engage in research concurrent with his clinical duties to build his own independent research platform. His work during residency received numerous grants and awards including NIMH Outstanding Resident Award, NIA Rising Star, Leon Levy Scholarship in Neuroscience from the New York Academy of Sciences, and Paper of the Year by the Society for Neuroeconomics. Brian became the first in Mount Sinai’s history to receive the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award for Medical Scientists which allowed him to bypass traditional K-award training pathways and became the first resident in psychiatry to earn an R01 (NIMH BRAINS Award) prior to graduating.

In 2024, Brian became a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience where he is growing his lab in parallel with his clinical and teaching activities. Brian also stepped into the role of Director of Neuroeconomics in the Centers for Computational Psychiatry and Affective Neuroscience to promote cross-species translational research in decision neuroscience. He will also be serving as Assistant Training Director for Research in the Psychiatry Residency Program to help accelerate the path toward independence for physician-scientists.