Dr. Hafeman is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and a child psychiatrist at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Hafeman’s research focuses on children, adolescents, and young adults with and at-risk for bipolar disorder. She is also the Medical Director of the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Services outpatient clinic, where she evaluates and treats youth with and at-risk for bipolar disorder. She also serves as Director of the Psychiatry Research Pathway, a training program for research-focused psychiatry residents.

Dr. Birmaher is the Endowed Chair in Early Onset Bipolar Disease and Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine and the Director of the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Spectrum Services. Dr. Birmaher is a pioneer in describing the course and treatment of childhood-onset bipolar disorder, and has served as the Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator for over 25 federally-sponsored research grants and projects, Co-Investigator for numerous other projects and author of over 490 articles in peer reviewed journals.

Lilianna is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in working with adolescents ages 12–18 with behavioral, substance use, or mental health diagnoses. She has a strong interest in trauma, anxiety disorders, depression, and bipolar disorder. In the Keto study, Lili serves as the study therapist, leading the motivational sessions.

Ava graduated from Carlow University in 2025 with an M.A. in Psychology and is now a research assistant at the Mood & Mind Lab under the mentorship of Dr. Danella Hafeman and Dr. Boris Birmaher. She currently serves as an intake assessor on the Ketogenic Therapy for Youth Bipolar Disorder Study. Ava’s research interests focus on how trauma-related disruptions to the HPA axis and glutamatergic functioning during development influence the onset and course of mood disorders.

Ada is the research project coordinator for the Keto study in Dr. Hafeman’s Mood & Mind Lab. She earned her M.S. in Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling from the University of Pittsburgh and has experience working in both industry and academic settings. Her interests lie in the intersection of behavioral health and technology, and she plans to pursue a doctoral degree in Health Psychology.

Jessica is a research coordinator in Dr. Hafeman’s lab, where she supports projects focused on adolescent mood disorders. Her research interests center on digital mental health, including scalable app- and web-based interventions and EMA. She is particularly interested in how digital approaches can enhance accessibility, engagement, and early intervention for youth and young adults at risk for mood disorders.