Positron emission tomography in psychiatry: Dr. Romina Mizrahi maps the molecular future

MONTRÉAL, Québec, Canada, 8 April 2025 – In a powerful and deeply reflective Genomic Press Interview, published in Brain Medicine, Dr. Romina Mizrahi, Professor of Psychiatry at McGill University and Principal Investigator of the CaTS (Clinical and Translational Sciences) Lab at the Douglas Research Center, charts a new path forward in psychiatric research—one that begins at the molecular level.

Harnessing the power of positron emission tomography (PET), Dr. Mizrahi’s work sheds light on the invisible workings of the human brain. Where traditional psychiatric diagnosis often relies on subjective symptom clusters, her approach integrates in-vivo imaging, genetic data, and environmental context to understand psychiatric illness as a complex biological puzzle.

“As a psychiatrist, I’ve always been unsettled by how little we know about the brain,” said Dr. Mizrahi. “PET allows us to go under the surface—to quantify changes, locate biomarkers, and design better treatments based on molecular reality.”

Over the past two decades, Dr. Mizrahi has become a global leader in PET-based neuroimaging for psychiatry. Her lab was the first to assess dopaminergic stress responses in cannabis users and patients at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis. Using novel radiotracers like [¹¹C](+)PHNO, [¹⁸F]FEPPA, [¹¹C]CURB,  [¹¹C]NOP, [¹¹C]SL25.1188 and [¹⁸F]SynVesT-1. 

She’s been able to measure previously elusive phenomena: neuroinflammation, endocannabinoid system, synaptic density, and more.

These tools, Dr. Mizrahi argues, are essential for building a precision psychiatry paradigm—where treatments are not generalized across heterogeneous diagnoses but customized for subgroups with shared molecular profiles.

“My dream is to stratify patients based on in-vivo brain signatures—just like in oncology. We already do this for cancer patients. Why not for schizophrenia or substance use disorders?”

In the interview, she discusses her long-standing research on cannabis use, a timely subject as legalization continues to expand globally. She has provided expert testimony to the Canadian House of Commons on youth marijuana use and its psychiatric consequences, highlighting the gap between policy and clinical evidence.

Dr. Mizrahi’s commitment to science is matched by her dedication to leadership and mentorship—particularly for early-career scientists navigating structural barriers. A recipient of the ACNP Joel Elkes Award, she is the first woman from Canada to be honored with this distinction. Her own journey has included challenging periods in academic environments, which she now sees as a catalyst for her advocacy.

“I stayed too long in a challenging workplace,” she shared. “But that taught me everything I needed to know about how to lead.”

She is forthright about the lack of diversity in academic leadership, calling for structural change that prioritizes equity alongside excellence. “There is very little diversity at the top,” she notes. “And yet, if science is to serve the world, it must reflect it.”

The interview moves seamlessly between the technical and the personal. Dr. Mizrahi reveals her love of swimming, which she considers part of her workday—a space for reflection and clarity. She also meditates regularly and travels extensively, drawing inspiration from language, diverse cultures, and literature. Her favorite author? Cuban novelist Leonardo Padura, whose historical and philosophical depth resonates with her layered view of the mind.

In a final Proustian turn, Dr. Mizrahi names her “most marked characteristic” as grit. That same grit underlies her vast research portfolio—over 160 peer-reviewed publications—and fuels her ambition to radically improve how mental illness is understood and treated.

The Genomic Press Interview format, a signature series in the Innovators & Ideas section of Brain Medicine, is designed to highlight the human stories behind transformative science. Dr. Mizrahi’s interview exemplifies this goal: it is at once scientifically rigorous and emotionally resonant, spotlighting a researcher who is pushing the limits of psychiatry while reshaping the culture of academic medicine. More information on the research leaders and research rising stars featured by Genomic Press can be found in our publication website: https://genomicpress.kglmeridian.com/.

The full Genomic Press Interview, titled “Romina Mizrahi: The crucial role of positron emission tomography (PET) in precision medicine in psychiatry,” is available on 8 Aprill 2025 in Brain Medicine, offering readers an unparalleled opportunity to explore the thoughts and experiences of one of the most influential minds in neuroscience and neurobiology of brain disorders. The article is freely available online at  https://doi.org/10.61373/bm025k.0032.

About Brain Medicine: Brain Medicine (ISSN: 2997-2639) is a peer-reviewed medical research journal published by Genomic Press, New York. Brain Medicine is a new home for the cross-disciplinary pathway from innovation in fundamental neuroscience to translational initiatives in brain medicine. The journal’s scope includes the underlying science, causes, outcomes, treatments, and societal impact of brain disorders, across all clinical disciplines and their interface.