Dr. Tonisha Kearney Ramos

Biography

Tonisha E Kearney-Ramos is an associate professor and clinical neuroscientist at the Duke Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, specializing in the development of novel interventions for substance use disorders (SUDs) and related neuropsychiatric conditions. She leads a multidisciplinary research program that integrates neuroimaging and neuromodulation with clinical-behavioral methods to advance the understanding of therapeutic outcomes in addiction. Since joining Duke, she has established a translational addiction neuromodulation and neuroimaging program, focusing on the identification and validation of neural biomarkers to optimize neuromodulation therapies. She designs community-based clinical trials that support real-world implementation of interventions, particularly in low-resource clinics in the Durham area. Her primary research interests include investigating cognition and behavior as they relate to brain addiction risk trajectories using functional brain imaging. She utilizes network-based neuroimaging techniques to identify biomarkers of cognitive and behavioral dysfunction in SUDs and evaluates the impact of brain stimulation on therapeutic potential. Tonisha completed additional training at Columbia University’s Division of Substance Use Disorders, honing her skills in clinical trial development and behavioral models. Her long-term goal is to bridge neuroscience with clinical practice by developing and deploying integrated, evidence-based treatments that enhance the efficacy and equity of addiction care.

Research Interests

Experience