Karestan Koenen

Related Links

Biography

Karestan C. Koenen, PhD aims to reduce the population burden of mental disorders through research, training, and advocacy. She is passionate about using science to overcome violence and trauma, which are major preventable causes of health problems globally.

Research
Dr. Koenen directs the Biology of Trauma Initiative at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard where she is an Institute Member. Her research focus is three-fold. First, she studies why some people develop PTSD and related mental and physical health problems and why some people are resilient when exposed to similar traumatic events. Second, she investigates how violence, trauma, and PTSD alter long-term physical health and accelerate aging. Third, she aims to expand access to evidence-based mental health treatment for survivors of violence and trauma. To this end, she co-wrote the book, Treating Survivors of Childhood Abuse and Interpersonal Trauma: STAIR Narrative Therapy with Drs. Marylene Cloitre, Lisa Cohen. Kile M Ortigo, and Christie Jackson.

Relevant links:
Biology of Trauma: https://www.broadinstitute.org/biology-trauma-initiative-broad-institute
Book can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Treating-Survivors-Childhood-Interpersonal-Trauma-ebook/dp/B0859BZZDM

Training
Dr. Koenen leads the NIMH-funded Training Program in Psychiatric Epidemiology and Biostatistics (T32) and the Interdisciplinary Concentration in Population Mental Health. She also advises masters and doctoral degree students in the Departments of Epidemiology and Social Behavioral Sciences. In addition, Dr. Koenen leads the Trauma Epidemiology and Population Mental Health Research Group for her students and post-doctoral fellows. The group is primarily a forum for trainees and junior investigators to present and receive feedback on work-in-progress, but also includes presentations on advanced research methodology and career development.

For students who are interested in working within the Koenen lab, please use the following link to express interest. https://forms.gle/MQpU3nuS75k98kfP7

Advocacy
Dr. Koenen advocates for survivors of violence and trauma. In May 2011, Dr. Koenen testified before the House Foreign Affairs Full Committee about the epidemic of sexual violence and victim blaming culture of the Peace Corps. She has written for the Boston Globe, the Washington Post, the Huffington Post, and the Women's Media Center's Women Under Siege Project, which investigates how rape and other forms of sexualized violence are used as tools in conflict. Dr. Koenen also consulted on the documentary, It Happened Here, which examined the epidemic of sexual assault on university campuses. In addition, Dr. Koenen speaks to lay audiences about the latest scientific findings around violence and trauma.

Education and Training

• BA, Economics
  Wellesley College
• MA, Developmental Psychology
  Columbia University
• PhD, Clinical Psychology
  Boston University
• Post-doctoral Fellowship, Psychiatric Epidemiology
  Columbia University

Publications

• Childhood adversity and late-life cognitive and brain health in a diverse cohort.

  Hayes-Larson E, Gradwohl NM, Fong J, Kobayashi LC, Gilsanz P, Whitmer RA, Glymour MM, Barnes LL, Koenen KC, DeCarli C, Fletcher E, Mungas D, Mayeda ER. Alzheimers Dement 2024 Dec 06

• Perspectives on Integrating Biological Assessments to Address the Health Effects of Childhood Adversities.

  Blevins EJ, Slopen N, Koenen KC, Mikesell C, Basu A. Harv Rev Psychiatry 2024 Dec 02

• Social Buffering of PTSD: Longitudinal Effects and Neural Mediators.

  Santos JLC, Harnett NG, van Rooij SJH, Ely TD, Jovanovic T, Lebois LAM, Beaudoin FL, An X, Neylan TC, Linnstaedt SD, Germine LT, Bollen KA, Rauch SL, Haran JP, Storrow AB, Lewandowski C, Musey PI, Hendry PL, Sheikh S, Jones CW, Punches BE, Pascual JL, Seamon MJ, Harris E, Pearson C, Peak DA, Merchant RC, Domeier RM, Rathlev NK, O'Neil BJ, Sergot P, Sanchez LD, Bruce SE, Pizzagalli DA, Harte SE, Ressler KJ, Koenen KC, McLean SA, Stevens JS. Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging 2024 Nov 25

• Heart rate variability wrist-wearable biomarkers identify adverse posttraumatic neuropsychiatric sequelae after traumatic stress exposure.

  Guichard L, An X, Neylan TC, Clifford GD, Li Q, Ji Y, Macchio L, Baker J, Beaudoin FL, Jovanovic T, Linnstaedt SD, Germine LT, Bollen KA, Rauch SL, Haran JP, Storrow AB, Lewandowski C, Musey PI, Hendry PL, Sheikh S, Jones CW, Punches BE, Swor RA, Gentile NT, Pascual JL, Seamon MJ, Datner EM, Pearson C, Peak DA, Merchant RC, Domeier RM, Rathlev NK, O'Neil BJ, Sergot P, Sanchez LD, Bruce SE, Sheridan JF, Harte SE, Ressler KJ, Koenen KC, Kessler RC, McLean SA. Psychiatry Res 2024

• Neighborhood Resources Associated With Psychological Trajectories and Neural Reactivity to Reward After Trauma.

  Webb EK, Stevens JS, Ely TD, Lebois LAM, van Rooij SJH, Bruce SE, House SL, Beaudoin FL, An X, Neylan TC, Clifford GD, Linnstaedt SD, Germine LT, Bollen KA, Rauch SL, Haran JP, Storrow AB, Lewandowski C, Musey PI, Hendry PL, Sheikh S, Jones CW, Punches BE, Swor RA, Murty VP, Hudak LA, Pascual JL, Seamon MJ, Datner EM, Pearson C, Peak DA, Domeier RM, Rathlev NK, O'Neil BJ, Sergot P, Sanchez LD, Joormann J, Pizzagalli DA, Harte SE, Kessler RC, Koenen KC, Ressler KJ, McLean SA, Harnett NG. JAMA Psychiatry 2024 Nov 01