Lab Members

Director & Clinical Staff

Anthony J. Rosellini, Ph.D., Director

Dr. Rosellini is the director of the OPAD lab and an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at Boston University's School of Public Health. He holds a joint appointment in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. He received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Boston University and subsequently completed a post-doctoral fellowship in psychiatric epidemiology at Harvard Medical School. His research leverages clinical psychological and epidemiological data and methods: (i) to identify and understand the emotional and environmental factors that influence the development, persistence, and treatment of anxiety and mood disorders (e.g., personality; emotion regulation; childhood adversities); and (ii) to improve the assessment and classification of anxiety and mood disorders. His research questions are often addressed using latent variable and machine learning statistical methods.

Yi Liu, Psy.D., Postdoctoral Fellow

Yi Liu, PsyD, is a Postdoctoral Associate at the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders (CARD) at Boston University and a STOP Study Clinician. He earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from Long Island University, Post Campus, and completed his psychology internship residency at Harvard Medical School/McLean Hospital SouthEast and Aspire Health Alliance. Dr. Liu has experience treating and assessing adults with a broad range of psychopathology and complex comorbidities across outpatient, partial hospitalization (PHP), and inpatient settings. His therapeutic approach is grounded in the third-wave behavior therapy framework, emphasizing the cultivation of a healing therapeutic relationship and psychological flexibility to help people live rich, meaningful lives. His research interests include evaluating the effectiveness of evidence-based therapies and their cultural adaptations.

Sydney Friedman, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow

Research Team

Camille Sandage, B.A., Research Coordinator

Camille Sandage is a research coordinator in both the OPAD Lab and TREND-UP Lab. She graduated from Boston University in 2025 with a B.A. in Psychology. Her research interests center on integrating positive psychology into evidence-based, transdiagnostic interventions. Specifically, she is interested in examining mechanisms of change in emotional disorders, including beliefs about emotions, forgiveness, mindfulness, and humility. She intends to pursue doctoral training in clinical or counseling psychology.

Amanda Desmarais, M.A., Research Technician

Amanda Desmarais is a part-time research technician in the OPAD lab who primarily works on the study Neural Markers of Treatment Mechanisms and Prediction of Treatment Outcomes in Social Anxiety. She received her B.S. in Health Studies with a concentration in Health Promotion from the University of Rhode Island in 2020. In 2023, she received her MA in Psychology from Boston University. Her research interests include the mechanisms underlying the development and maintenance of emotional disorders, prevention/early intervention, and the intersection of mental and physical health. She is currently pursuing a PsyD at Bryant University.

Undergraduate Volunteer Research Assistants

Samuel Kinch - Samuel is a senior at BU and a research assistant. He is currently working on an honors thesis investigating the hierarchical structure and functional properties of psychological processes central to the emotional disorders. His broader research interests lie in advancing the development of evidence-based individualized CBT. After completing his bachelor's in psychology, Samuel plans to pursue doctoral study in clinical psychology.

Jacqueline Kane - Jacqueline is a junior at BU. She is currently most interested in psychodynamic approaches to treating Cluster C personality disorders. After completing her bachelor’s in psychology, Jacqueline plans on pursuing a graduate degree in clinical psychology.

Michael Barron - Mick is a junior at BU. He is interested in learning about the development and management of mental health conditions (specifically, depression and anxiety) that arise as a result of illness, which he hopes will help him identify vulnerable individuals and prevent negative outcomes as a physician. After graduating with a BA in chemistry, he plans on taking a gap year to apply to medical school and eventually become a pediatric oncologist.

Shugo Hirai - Shugo is a junior at BU. He is a neuroscience and psychology double major with a special interest in clinical psychology. After completing his undergraduate journey, Shugo hopes to continue his education in a clinical psychology doctoral program.