Meet the Team
MICHAEL W. OTTO, PH.D.
Michael W. Otto, Ph.D., is Professor in the Psychological and Brain Sciences department at Boston University. Dr. Otto has had a major career focus on developing and validating new psychosocial treatments for mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders. This work includes a translational research agenda investigating brain-behavior relationships in therapeutic learning. Attention to principles underlying behavior-change failures led him to an additional focus on health-behavior promotion, including investigations of addictive behaviors, medication adherence, sleep, and exercise. Dr. Otto has over 25 years of continuous funding from NIH, and has published over 500 articles, chapters, and books spanning his research interests. He has been identified as a “top producer” in the clinical empirical literature, an ISI Highly Cited Researcher, and recipient of the Distinguished Scientific Contributions to Clinical Psychology award from the American Psychological Association, Division 12 and the 2024 Outstanding Researcher award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT). He is also recipient of a 2019 Elizabeth Hurlock Beckman Award for excellence in mentoring from the American Psychological Association and the 2023 Toy Caldwell-Colbert Award for Distinguished Educator in Clinical Psychology. Dr. Otto is past President of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies and Past President of the American Psychological Association Division 12, and his service to the field was recognized in 2010 by an Outstanding Service Award from ABCT. Dr. Otto is a regular provider of continuing education and continuing medical education workshops across the United States. In addition, Dr. Otto has been a frequent consultant to industry, and the broad scope of his work has led to popular media coverage in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Scientific American-Mind, Runner’s World, Self, and Outside Magazine. He also a firm believer in team science and serves as founder of the Mechanistic Behavior Research Consortium (https://www.mbrc-sobc.org/) and a member of the Exposure Therapy Consortium (https://www.exposuretherapyinfo.org/).
E. MARIE PARSONS, PH.D., RESEARCH ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
Marie is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston University. Her research interests focus on the examination of transdiagnostic mechanisms and the evaluation of interventions that target these mechanisms, with a particular interest in the transdiagnostic impact of shame. Marie’s research also focuses on increasing the accessibility of evidence-based treatments through digital intervention. Before arriving at Boston University, Marie received her Ph.D. from Miami University and completed her predoctoral internship at VA Boston Healthcare System.
LAURA LONG, Ph.D., POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE
Laura is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston University. Her research focuses on resilience and recovery from anxiety and related disorders. She is interested in protective factors, such as hope and optimism, that promote wellbeing and act as mechanisms of change during transdiagnostic cognitive-behavioral treatments for emotional disorders. Before arriving at Boston University, Laura received her Ph.D. from University of Houston and completed her predoctoral internship at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
HAYLEY FITZGERALD, Ph.D., POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE
Hayley is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston University. Her research aims to advance evidence-based treatments for anxiety and fear-based disorders. Hayley is particularly interested in studying underlying mechanisms (e.g., anxiety sensitivity) and using translational research methods (e.g., fear conditioning) to work towards this goal. Hayley received her Ph.D. from Boston University and completed her predoctoral internship at VA Boston Healthcare System.
BRIDGET SUNDEL, PsyD., POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE
Bridget is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston University. Her interests include anxiety and mood disorders, exposure therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy. Before arriving at Boston University, Bridget received her Psy.D. from La Salle University and completed her predoctoral internship at VA Central Western Massachusetts.
REBECCA LUBIN, M.A., DOCTORAL STUDENT
Rebecca is a third-year doctoral student in the clinical psychology program under the mentorship of Dr. Michael Otto. Her research interests include examining the mechanisms of therapeutic change for anxiety and fear-based disorders in order to inform novel interventions and optimize evidence-based treatments. Before joining the program at Boston University, she received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Harvard College and worked as a research coordinator on projects investigating anxiety disorders, PTSD, and pathological grief, most recently at NYU School of Medicine.
NADINE TAGHIAN, M.A., DOCTORAL STUDENT 
Nadine is a fifth-year doctoral student in the clinical psychology program under the mentorship of Dr. Michael Otto. Her research interests include examining the mechanisms that contribute to the development and maintenance of substance use disorders, as well as researching the predictors of relapse after long-term sobriety. She is currently working on her dissertation study which examines the roles of reward and punishment processes in substance use compulsivity.
MARGOT STEINBERG, M.A., DOCTORAL STUDENT
Margot is a second-year doctoral student in the clinical psychology program under the mentorship of Dr. Michael Otto. Her research interests include examining alternative and supplemental treatments for individuals with anxiety disorders.Prior to starting at Boston University, she received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Harvard College and worked as a research coordinator on treatment outcome research projects for anxiety populations at the Anxiety, Stress, and Prolonged Grief program at NYU Langone Health.
ANNELL OVALLES, M.A., DOCTORAL STUDENT
*Bio and picture coming soon!*
EMILY COOMBS, B.A., RESEARCH COORDINATOR
Emily is the Translational Research Lab Research, and oversees recruitment and the logistics for each study within our lab and all things TRP. Most of her time is spent working on the Biomarker Study. Her research interests include the etiology of anxiety disorders, eating disorder treatment, and sports psychology. Prior to coming to BU, Emily graduated from Wesleyan University with a B.A. in Psychology and Education Studies. During her time at Wesleyan, Emily researched the impact of online learning on college students’ academic outcomes and anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as the importance of food security in shrinking the United States’ achievement gap.
DAN COLLINS, RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Dan is a full-time Research Assistant in the Translational Research Lab. He is working as the research coordinator for GATE and is also working on FAVE and Pain GAD. His research interests include the use of brain imaging techniques in the investigation of maladaptive behaviors such as addiction and obsessive-compulsive behaviors. Before joining the lab Dan graduated from Fitchburg State University with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor is Neuroscience, Behavior, and Cognition. Dan researched the impact of vibrotactile stimulation on auditory perception during pitch discrimination and preferred loudness tasks while at Fitchburg.
SIWON YANG, B.S., RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Siwon is a full-time research assistant in the Translational Research Lab at Boston University, primarily focusing on the Nature and Predictors of Harm Avoidance study. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2022. Before joining BU, Siwon worked as a preschool teacher in Boston. Her research interests include the prevention and treatment of anxiety and depression, with an emphasis on culturally tailored practices that promote mental health and well-being in children.
Emilie is an undergraduate research assistant in the Translational Research Program and a senior psychology major at Boston University. Her research interests include etiology of anxiety and mood disorders, factors influencing therapeutic learning, and exercise as a treatment intervention. She is currently conducting an Honors Thesis on a mood-based approach to exercise motivation.
Giulia is an undergraduate student at Boston University planning to graduate in May 2025 with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in History. Her interests in the field include mental health advocacy and counseling, anxiety, and alternative treatments. She is currently conducting a Senior Honors Thesis in the lab exploring the relationship between trait mindfulness and exposure outcomes in those with fear-based disorders. Outside of the lab, Giulia is a research assistant on the Boston University Medical Campus, a College of Arts and Sciences Senator, the Co-Chair of the Mental Health Committee, and a member of the BU Psi Chi Psychology Honors Society.
