This application is for a Schizophrenia Academic Award of Dr. Dolores Malaspina and Columbia University. She has been a resident, chief resident, and research fellow in our department and we believe she has the highest potential to become a superb researcher and educator. She has a commitment to an academic career in schizophrenia research and she has been chosen to be the Associate Director of a new inpatient schizophrenia research unit that will open at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. AS the recipient of this award she would be relieved of her patient care activities so she can pursue her research and educational activities full time. Her research interest is i genetics and the use of psychophysiological and other intensive characterizations of schizophrenic subjects and family members in conjunction with studies of chromosomal linkage. These studies will be integrated into the inpatient schizophrenia research unit. A pilot study will be done on the effect of amphetamine and neuroleptic challenge on eye movements and auditory evoked potentials in normals. Use of more specific D1 and D2 agonists and antagonists as probes of psychophysiological, attentional and functional imaging paradigms that are putative markers of vulnerability to schizophrenia will be explored in schizophrenic patients and family members. Her plan for the award period involves supervision in the administration of an inpatient research unit, genetics, pharmacologic challenge strategies, and teaching. This award period will prepare her to be an independent and generative researcher and educator in schizophrenia and also serve as a role model to other women. At the end of the award period she will become director of the inpatient schizophrenia research service.
