Our lab is leading an innovative multi-site research initiative aimed at uncovering the physiological signatures of psychedelic-assisted therapy. This project, led by postdoctoral researcher Dr. Lisa Simon and MA student Mary Grankin, is currently underway at several leading psychiatric hospitals and clinics across Israel, where clinical trials are investigating psychedelic treatments for PTSD, treatment-resistant depression, and other psychiatric disorders.
Using wearable smartwatches, we continuously monitor participants’ heart rate, physical activity, and sleep patterns throughout their entire treatment protocol, from baseline through follow-up. This real-world data collection captures how the body responds to psychedelic-assisted therapy as it unfolds in naturalistic settings.
Our goal is to identify physiological biomarkers that parallel improvements in self-reported symptoms, potentially offering objective measures of treatment response. Beyond validation, we hope these biomarkers will shed light on the mechanisms through which psychedelic-assisted therapies facilitate healing and recovery.
By bridging subjective experience with objective physiology, the project represents an important step toward understanding how these novel treatments work, and for whom they work best.