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Steven M. Silverstein, Ph.D.

Contact Information

Phone Numbers

Office: (585) 275-6742

Faculty Appointments

Biography

Professional Background

Dr. Steven Silverstein is a Professor of Psychiatry, Neuroscience, and Ophthalmology at the University of Rochester Medical Center and a member of the Center for Visual Science. He is also the George L. Engel Professor of Psychosocial Medicine, the Associate Chair for Research in Psychiatry, and the Director of the Center for Retina and Brain. He is the former President of the Society for Research in Psychopathology (2017) and the former Chair of the American Psychological Association’s Task Force on Serious Mental Illness (2007-2009). Dr. Silverstein received his Ph.D. in Psychology from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1989 and completed his internship and fellowship at Cornell Medical College from 1988-1990. His research interests are in: 1) risk factors for serious mental illness and treatment of first-episode psychosis; 2) retinal, perceptual (visual), and cognitive changes in people with schizophrenia, and rehabilitation of those impairments; 3) retinal biomarkers of changes in brain and cognitive functioning in other conditions affecting the brain (e.g., heart failure, cerebral small-vessel disease, sports-related concussion); and 4) mental health issues related to vision loss, and their treatment; He has over 270 publications related to schizophrenia and these other issues. Dr. Silverstein has had continuous grant support since 1991 and is currently principal investigator on several NIH-, industry-, and foundation-funded grants. He has received many awards for his research, clinical, and teaching activities, including the United States Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association’s Armin Loeb Award for research in psychiatric rehabilitation (2008), the New Jersey Psychological Association’s Distinguished Researcher Award (2009), the American Psychological Foundation’s Alexander Gralnick Research Investigator Prize (2010), the Norman H. Edelman Clinical Science Mentorship Award from Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (2010), and the Trailblazer Award from the Schizophrenia Special Interest Group of the Association for Advancement in Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (2016). He has also mentored several generations of clinicians and researchers who have gone on to successful careers in the area of mental health conditions and their treatment.

Credentials

Education

1984
BA | Brandeis University
Psychology

1989
PhD | University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
APA-approved program in Clinical Psychology

Post-doctoral Training & Residency

07/1989 - 06/1990
Post-doctoral fellowship, specialization in child psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, The New York Hospital Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY

07/1988 - 06/1989
Internship in clinical psychology, Department of Psychiatry, The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY

Awards

2018
SAMHAJ Professional Award
Sponsor: National Alliance of Mental Illness New Jersey

2018
New Jersey Provider Recognition Award
Sponsor: National Alliance of Mental Illness New Jersey Chapter
Location: North Brunswick, NJ

2017 - 2018
Outstanding Provider Award, Chinese American Mental Health Outreach Program
Sponsor: National Alliance of Mental Illness New Jersey Chapter

2016 - 2017
President
Sponsor: Society for Research in Psychopathology

2016
Schizophrenia Special Interest Group Trailblazer Award
Sponsor: Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies
Location: New York City, NY

2014
Visiting Professorship Award (Jagiellonian University)
Sponsor: Science-Environment-Technologies Project
Location: Krakow, Poland

2013
Norman H. Edelman Clinical Science Mentorship Award
Sponsor: Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Location: Newark, NJ

2011
Honoree
Sponsor: NAMI Middlesex County; 2011 Fall Reception

2010
Alexander Gralnick Research Investigator Prize
Sponsor: American Psychological Foundation

2010
Most Innovative Behavioral Healthcare Provider designation
Sponsor: SharpBrains
Location: 2010 Brain Fitness Innovation Awards

2009
Distinguished Researcher Award
Sponsor: New Jersey Psychological Association

2008
Armin Loeb Research Award
Sponsor: United States Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (USPRA)

2007 - 2009
Chair
Sponsor: APA Task Force on Serious Mental Illness

2007
Margaret van Horn Award for Distinguished Service in Psychiatry
Location: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)

2003
Invited Beck Institute Visiting Scholar
Sponsor: Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy

2000 - 2001
Finalist: Joseph Zubin Memorial Fund Award

1995
Otto Thaler, MD Teaching Development Award
Sponsor: University of Rochester Medical Center

1988
Psychological Association of Western New York Graduate Student Research Award

1984 - 1987
Special Merit Assistantship
Sponsor: State University of New York at Buffalo

1984
Robert J. Silver Award for Research in Psychology
Location: Brandeis University

1984
Phi Beta Kappa

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Publications

Journal Articles

9/1/2023
Fradkin SI, Bannai D, Lizano P, Lai A, Crosta C, Silverstein SM. "Poster Session: Deep retinal layer microvasculature alterations in first episode and chronic schizophrenia." Journal of vision.. 2023 Sep 1; 23(11):50.

9/1/2023
Silverstein SM. "Invited Session V: The eye as a window to systemic and neurodegenerative health: Disturbances of retinal structure in schizophrenia spectrum disorders and their clinical implications." Journal of vision.. 2023 Sep 1; 23(11):28.

7/17/2023
Blose BA, Lai A, Crosta C, Thompson JL, Silverstein SM. "Retinal Neurodegeneration as a Potential Biomarker of Accelerated Aging in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders." Schizophrenia bulletin.. 2023 Jul 17; Epub 2023 Jul 17.

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