Dr. Ismene Petrakis

Biography

Ismene Petrakis is a Professor of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine and the Director of the Mental Health Service Line at VA Connecticut Healthcare System. She completed her residency at Yale School of Medicine, followed by a clinical/research fellowship funded by NIDA in addiction psychiatry. Joining the faculty in 1992, she became the Director of the Substance Abuse Treatment Program at VACHS in 1996. Her research interests focus on developing effective treatments for individuals with alcohol dependence and co-occurring psychiatric disorders, as well as understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying alcohol dependence. She has received funding from agencies including the Department of Defense, NIH-NIAAA, and the VA for her work. Dr. Petrakis is also engaged in studies evaluating pharmacological treatments for veterans with alcohol dependence and serious psychiatric disorders, such as PTSD and schizophrenia, aiming to improve outcomes for this vulnerable population.

Research Interests