GTP at ADAA 2026

Written by Chaela Nutor

The Grady Trauma Project was proud to have 9 members presenting at the 2026 Annual Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) Conference in Chicago, Illinois this April!

GTP Team photo at ADAA 2026

Dr. Abigail Powers Lott kicked off the first day of the conference with her talk titled “Comparing Two Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Screening Approaches to Improve Health Outcomes” as part of a symposium titled: “Screening and Treatment for Trauma and Related Psychopathology During the Perinatal Period.” This talk outlined the methods of our new Improving Health Outcomes through PTSD Screening for Expectant Black Mothers (I-HOPE) study.

Drs. Abigail Powers Lott and Vas Michopoulos co-chaired a symposium titled “From Biology to Behavior: Pathways of PTSD Risk Across Generations and Development.” This symposium featured talks by current postdocs Rebecca Lipschutz and Nicolas Murgueito in addition to former GTP graduate student Abby Britt. Rebecca presented new neuroimaging findings from the Multi-level Affective Mechanisms to Adjustment Biological and Emotional Assessments of Reactivity (MAMA BEAR) study in her talk titled: “Maternal vMPFC Reactivity to Infant Cues Links Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Infant Emotion Regulation in the Postpartum Period.” Nicolas presented his graduate research with a talk titled: “Early Threat Experiences and Irritability in Early Childhood: Trajectories and Protective Factors.” Abby Britt presented work from both GTP and her postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia titled “Relationships Among Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, DNA Methylation and Labor Dystocia Outcomes in a Cohort of Black Pregnant People.”

Notably, neuroscience graduate students, Trinidi Prochaska and Genevieve Craig won the ADAA Early Career Membership Award!

In addition to these symposiums, our team presented 5 posters on various Grady Trauma Project datasets. For a full list of the posters and a link to the Poster Abstract Book containing all the abstracts from the poster sessions, please see below.

We are so proud of the entire GTP team and presenters! GTP is extremely thankful for all  participants and community organizations that make this work possible. We’re excited to bring more team members to the 2027 ADAA conference when it’s held here in Atlanta next year!

Posters Presentations:

Samhita Lellapalli: “Anxiety Sensitivity, Emotion Dysregulation, and Substance Use Among Trauma-Exposed Black Adults”

Trinidi Prochaska: “Diminishing Effects of Childhood Adversity on PTSD Symptomatology Across Perimenopause in a Community Sample of Trauma-Exposed Black Women”

Ashley Stinson: “Sex Differences in Trauma-Related Drinking to Cope and Alcohol Use Outcomes Among Trauma-Exposed Black Adults”

Chaela Nutor: Intergenerational Links Between Maternal Violence Exposure, Psychopathology, and Infant Temperament in Early Postpartum

Genevieve Craig: “Inflammation’s Effect on Fear and Anxiety-Related Circuits and Symptoms: Examining the Role of Dopamine”

ADAA Abstract Book: https://www.jmoodanxdisorders.org/pb-assets/Health%20Advance/journals/xjmad/Conference2026-1773247369913.pdf