Semel Institute

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Celebrating 50 years of the Neuropsychiatric Institute at UCLA

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Semel Welcomes Suma Jacob, MD, PhD, Director, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

About Us

Leading the way in human neuroscience research, education, clinical care, and wellbeing

The Institute provides a collaborative home for preeminent researchers and faculty across many disciplines to study complex human behavior. Their research includes the genetic, biological, behavioral, and sociocultural underpinnings of behavior and the causes and consequences of neuropsychiatric disorders.

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Research

Dedicated to the discovery of better treatments, prevention strategies, and cures

Operating in one of the premier biomedical research institutions in the world, our research faculty members conduct state of the art basic, clinical, and translational research aimed at improving the care of people with mental illness both locally and globally.

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Helena Hansen, MD, PhD Interim Director, Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior

What makes the Semel Institute unique is its transdisciplinary approach to translational research. We translate discoveries made at the basic neuroscience level to patient care, ultimately improving population-level outcomes and providing a true benefit to society.

Education

Designed to serve current UCLA and visiting undergraduates and graduate students, medical students, residents, and postgraduate researchers

The Office of Education houses a variety of clinical and nonclinical training programs and fields of research. As the field of Psychiatry continues to expand within and across disciplines, the Office of Education at the Semel Institute will continue to help shape the education and training of future leaders in the field.

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Clinical

Partners with the Department of Psychiatry and the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital to provide clinical care

The Semel Institute, Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, and Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital are three separate entities with a shared mission to serve and heal our community. This inextricable link brings together world-class researchers and clinicians to discover and implement effective treatments for patient care.

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Latest News

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Celebrating 50 Years of NPIH

The UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute (NPI) was founded in the post World War II era, as a research, education and treatment center with the mission to serve those citizens who suffer chronic psychiatric and neurological disease and behavioral disorder. Initially supported entirely by state funds from the California Department of Mental Hygiene, the Neuropsychiatric Institute, and the Hospital (NPH) that is integral to its provision of clinical care, opened their doors in 1961.

Suma Jacob, MD, PhD Announced as Director, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Suma Jacob, MD, PhD is a distinguished child-adolescent-adult psychiatrist as well as a neuroscientist who is widely recognized for her research in neuroendrocrinology and neurodevelopmental disorders across the lifespan.

Semel Institute Ranks 4th at UCLA in Grant Funding

This year, external gifts to the Semel Institute grew to $21.5M from $18M in 2023.

UCLA PEERS for Preschoolers Training

January 29-31, 2025 Live on Zoom 8AM to 5PM PT

For mental health professionals, school-based professionals, medical professionals, speech and language pathologists, occupational, recreational, and behavioral therapists, and other professionals who work with children 4-6 years of age with social challenges.