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Department of Psychiatry Department of Psychiatry
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Principal Investigator

 

Jessica Bomyea, PhD

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Education and Professional Experience

Dr. Bomyea is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UC San Diego and a research scientist in the Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health. Dr. Bomyea received her doctoral degree from the SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in clinical psychology. Dr. Bomyea’s research seeks to understand the link between aspects of neural and cognitive functioning (e.g., cognitive biases, executive functioning) and mental health disorders.  

Research Focus
Dr. Bomyea’s research seeks to understand the link between aspects of cognitive functioning (e.g., cognitive biases, executive functioning) and PTSD. In addition, she studies novel interventions for PTSD with the goals of translating cognitive science principles to new treatment approaches and delineating the processes of change during treatment. She is currently examining the neurobiological characteristics of individuals with PTSD and/or TBI, and the efficacy and neural substrates of cognitive interventions for PTSD.

Graduate Students

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Morgan Caudle

Morgan Caudle is a predoctoral student in the SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology in the Experimental Psychopathology Track, mentored by Dr. Jessica Bomyea.
Morgan is broadly interested in the research and development of novel evidence-based treatments and utilizing neuroimaging to further our understanding of the neural correlates of treatment outcome. She is particularly interested in computerized interventions focused on improving executive functioning and reducing clinical symptoms. Outside of the lab you'll find Morgan snowboarding, playing board games, or reading fantasy novels. 

Lab Coordinators

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Jessica Sauceda

Jess graduated from the University of California, San Diego in 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Clinical Psychology and a minor in Sociology. As an undergraduate she volunteered in the Center for Research on Experimental Evolutionary Psychology Laboratory where she assisted in research on social altruism. Jess also volunteered in the Positive Emotion and Anxiety Research Laboratory, exploring innovative treatment approaches for individuals with depression and anxiety. She hopes to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology, focusing on identifying factors that influence both the course of the therapeutic process and the resulting outcomes for individuals with mood and anxiety disorders.

Marcella Barneclo

Marcella Barneclo

Marcella received her Bachelor of Science in Cognitive & Behavioral Neuroscience from UC San Diego. Before her current position, Marcella worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator for the Brain Health Virtual Reality Study at UC San Diego, where she contributed to research regarding the efficacy of virtual reality and physical exercise as preventative measures for Alzheimer's disease and dementia in older adults. Marcella aspires to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology. Her research interests surround mood, particularly the brain regions involved in mood regulation and the pathophysiology of mood-related symptoms in psychiatric disorders.