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Department of Psychiatry Department of Psychiatry
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Meet Our Team

pearl members

Principal Investigator

charlie taylorCharlie Taylor, Ph.D.

Dr. Taylor is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at UC San Diego and the Director of the Positive Emotion & Anxiety Research Laboratory (PEARL). He received his B.Sc. in Psychology at McMaster University (Hamilton, ON, Canada) and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC, Canada). He has over 15 years of experience specializing in the assessment and treatment of anxiety and depression. Dr. Taylor directs an active program of clinical research funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and Brain and Behavior Foundation.

Members

Visiting Scholar

  • Ho-Jun Seo, MD

    Ho-Jun Seo, MD

    Ho-Jun is a Psychiatrist and a Professor of Psychiatry at the Catholic Univ. of Korea. He has been working as a faculty at St. Vincent Hospital since 2009, participating in resident training and clinical care of patients. He spent over 20 years specializing in psychoanalytic psychotherapy. His research interests are Anxiety disorders, Depression, and CBT. He is a director of the Korean Academy of Anxiety and Mood, the Korean Association of Psychoanalytic Treatment, and the Korean Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. He will be here as a Visiting Scholar 2023-2024.

Doctoral Students

  • Samantha Hoffman

    Samantha Hoffman

    Sam (she/her) is a 5th-year clinical psychology Ph.D. student at the San Diego State University/University of California San Diego (UCSD) Joint Doctoral Program (JDP) in Clinical Psychology. She graduated with a B.S. in Physiology and Neuroscience from UCSD and earned a M.S. in Clinical Psychology from the JDP. Sam joined PEARL in 2019 and is passionate about improving treatment outcomes for individuals with mood, anxiety, and trauma-related psychopathology. Her research has encompassed the intersection of emotional processes, social disconnection, suicide, and trauma with the ultimate goal of clarifying the mechanisms behind treatment response and long-term recovery. She is currently a therapist who delivers treatments to PEARL's wonderful participants. In her spare time, she enjoys discovering new coffee shops, restaurants, and eateries.
  • Madeleine Rassaby

    Madeleine Rassaby

    Hi there! My name is Madeleine and I am a third-year graduate student at the SDSU/UC SanDiego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology working under the mentorship of Dr. Charles Taylor and Dr. Murray Stein. My research interests focus on the development and optimization of evidence-based treatments aimed to both reduce negative affect and associated maladaptive cognitive and behavioral processes, and enhance positive emotions. I am particularly interested in the treatment of anxiety, depression, and trauma-related disorders. In my free time I enjoy connecting with family and friends, trying out different coffee shops and restaurants around San Diego, singing and listening to music, being active, traveling, and admiring the beautiful beach sunsets.
  • Isabella Spaulding

    Isabella Spaulding

    Hello! My name is Isabella and I’m a first year doctoral student in the SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology. Before joining PEARL I completed my B.S. in Clinical Psychology at Tufts University and then worked as a postbaccalaureate fellow in the Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience at the National Institute of Mental Health. My research interests are focused on exploring the cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms underlying mood, anxiety, and trauma disorders, and how these insights might inform the development of novel treatments. I’m also particularly interested in better understanding the impacts (e.g., biological, social) of early adversity on individuals with psychological disorders in adulthood, in an effort to identify potential treatment targets and ultimately improve outcomes for this population. Outside of the lab I love to spend time at the beach, try new recipes, and travel! 

Research Coordinators

  • Taylor Smith

    Taylor Smith

    Taylor R. Smith is a study coordinator at the Positive Emotion & Anxiety Research Laboratory. She graduated from the University of San Diego, California with a B.S. in psychology and a minor in mathematics. Taylor started as a student volunteer and now has been coordinating in the lab for over 8 years. She is currently is attending CSUSM to obtain her Master’s in Social Work. She is a San Diego native and enjoys swimming in the ocean, rollerblading, and baking.
  • Marissa Larkin

    Marissa Larkin

    Hello! My name is Marissa, and I am a lab coordinator at PEARL. I graduated from the University of Utah in 2023 with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Applied Positive Psychology. During my undergraduate career, I worked in the Child Adaptation and Neurodevelopment Lab as a research assistant and wrote an honors thesis focusing on emotion dysregulation and trauma history. Soon after graduation, I joined PEARL! I work mainly with the CBD study, but also assist with all other areas of work within the lab. I plan to attend graduate school for clinical psychology and work as a practicing clinician long-term. My research interests broadly surround anxiety and depression intervention. In my free time, I enjoy going to the beach, on a hike, or to concerts.
  • Juliana Himawan

    Juliana Himawan

     Hi! I’m Juliana, and I graduated from UC San Diego in December 2024 with a B.S. in Cognitive Behavioral Neuroscience and a minor in General Biology. I’ve been a part of the PEARL team since 2022, and I wrote my senior thesis titled, "Elevated Anxiety is Associated with Greater Activation in the Striatum in a Transdiagnostic Sample." Currently, I work as a coordinator focusing primarily on our anxiety and depression study. Outside of lab, I enjoy practicing yoga and love spending time at San Diego's beautiful beaches.  

Clinical Research Assistants

  • Isabella Agajanian

    Isabella Agajanian

    Hi! My name is Bella, and I am an incoming fourth-year student at UC San Diego, majoring in Human Biology on the pre-medical track. I joined PEARL in April of 2024 because I wanted to gain clinical research experience and learn more about the depth of anxiety, depression, and other psychological disorders. In the lab, I am currently responsible for overseeing Confederate tasks and phone screening. Outside of the lab, I like to play pickleball, crochet, go to the beach with my friends, and try new food places! In the future, I hope to go to medical school and become a practicing physician.
  • Madeline Breaux

    Madeline Breaux

    Hi everyone! My name is Maddie. I am a 3rd year Psychology major at the University of San Diego. I joined PEARL in March 2025 to gain more hands-on experience working in a research lab that focuses on mood and anxiety disorders, since this is a topic I am interested in studying in the future. In the lab, I am currently a phone screener, and I will eventually train to become a confederate. Outside of the lab, I like to run, surf, hike, hang out with friends, and spend time at the beach. In the future, I hope to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and specialize my field of research in mood and anxiety disorders; positive emotions, coping and resilience after adjustment periods; factors within psychotherapy (i.e. therapeutic alliance); and the practice-research gap in clinical psychology. After grad school, I have goals to open up my own practice and to continue to research important topics in clinical psychology in order to make a broad impact on mental health. 
  • Amani Javiya

    Amani Javiya

    Hi! I'm Amani, and I am a 2025 UCSD graduate. During undergrad, I studied neurobiology and psychology with aspirations to work in behavioral healthcare. I joined PEARL in the spring of my senior year to study my interests outside of the classroom and connect with people who share them with me. I am also working as a mental health technician at an OCD treatment center during my gap years before I apply to graduate school. In the future, I am hoping to obtain a PsyD in clinical psychology to treat children and adolescents. Outside of work and school, I enjoy going to concerts, the beach, watching new movies and TV shows, yoga, and trying new coffee recipes!

     
  • Gio Rodriguez

    Gio Rodriguez

    Hello! My name is Gio and I am currently a third year Cognitive & Behavioral Neuroscience major with a minor in Biology at UCSD. I joined PEARL in April 2025 to gain more hands-on research within the field of clinical psychology and to deepen my knowledge of stress and anxiety disorders. In the lab, I am currently responsible for phone screening and assisting with brain imaging. When I'm not in the lab, some things I enjoy doing are exercising, playing tennis, watching movies, and reading. In the future, I hope to obtain my M.D and achieve my goal of becoming a licensed psychiatrist to help underrepresented populations who struggle with substance abuse and mood disorders.
  • Maxon Jin

    Maxon Jin

    Hello everyone! My name is Maxon, and I’m a third year at UCSD majoring in general psychology, with an interest in both clinical and social psychology. I joined PEARL in April of 2025 because I wanted to gain experience and develop skills relevant to working with a clinical population as I make my way towards a career in psychotherapy. In the lab, I am currently responsible for phone screening on the PRAM project, as well as some other data transfer tasks. Outside of the lab I like to hang out with my friends, listen to music and podcasts, play the guitar, play basketball, pickleball, go to the gym, rock climb, and do photography. In the future, I hope to pursue either a PhD in clinical psychology or a PsyD, contribute to research, and eventually become a licensed therapist specializing in depression and anxiety disorders. 
  • Zainab Subhi

    Zainab Subhi

    Hi! My name is Zainab, and I’m a fourth-year student at UCSD studying Human Health Psychology and Biology. As a research assistant, my responsibilities include serving as a confederate and assisting with brain imaging, data entry, phone screenings, and fidelity ratings. What I value most about PEARL is our innovative approach to exploring treatments that go beyond what is currently considered the standard. Outside of the lab, I enjoy cooking, traveling, and exploring new makeup and skincare trends. I hope to attend medical school and become a physician dedicated to advancing PEARL’s mission of improving treatments and patient care.
  • Joshua Joslin

    Joshua Joslin

    Hi, my name is Josh. I'm a third year B.S. psychology major, minoring in law and society here at UCSD. I joined PEARL in May of 2025, to gain experience in working in a research lab, especially within a more clinical setting that specializes in research for treatments in anxiety and depression, which will help me on my journey to become a therapist. In the lab I work as a phone screener where I call potential candidates for our studies, I am also part of the neuroimaging team where I organize and analyze data. When I'm not in the lab I like to go out with friends, spend time at the beach, shop, play video games, listen to music, climb, and try out new food places. In the future I hope to obtain my MA and potentially a PhD in psychology and become a licensed therapist. Outside of my work goals, I want to travel around the world as much as possible. I want to be able to try out as many different dishes from other cultures, explore new sceneries, and maybe even make new friends along the way.
  • Elaine Tran

    Elaine Tran

    Hello! My name is Elaine and I am an incoming 4th year Clinical Psychology Major at UCSD. I joined the PEARL Lab May 2025 to dive deep into research and learn more about new yet innovative treatment methods for Anxiety and Mood Disorders like Depression, along with gaining some clinical experience. I am currently on the Phone screening and Neuroimaging team! Aside from Lab, I enjoy watching Ghibli films, reading books, cafe exploring, fashion, shopping and being a Disney adult. Fun fact, I was born and raised in San Diego! I am curious about diagnosing and providing treatment for individuals experiencing psychiatric disorders. Additionally, I am very interested in interdisciplinary studies involving AI, Data Science and Biology that blend very well with Psychology. I'm interested in AI Psychology, finding more methods for accessibility in treatment methods & refine diagnostic tools. After graduation, I plan to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology or Neuroscience and eventually get involved in Clinical Neuropsychology. 
  • Rayya Islam

    Rayya Islam

    Hi! My name is Rayya, and I’m a 4th-year student at UCSD majoring in Psychology. I joined the PEARL lab because I wanted to gain experience in a lab setting as well as exposing myself to clinical work. I’m particularly drawn to how the lab focuses on positive emotion and how it acknowledges social anxiety, as it is often overlooked compared to other types of anxiety. My role in the lab is acting as a confederate and interacting with trial participants. Outside of the lab, I enjoy playing games and exploring new places to eat. I’m a big fan of cute aesthetic cafes and love spending time around San Diego to try out different experiences. In my free time, I’m a huge fan of reality TV, like Selling Sunset and I also enjoy watching animes such as Fairytail. I also love collecting Pokémon cards! After undergrad, I would like to pursue a PsyD and be provide therapy or counseling, while specializing in depression and anxiety.
  • Lora Bednarek

    Lora Bednarek

    Hi! My name is Lora and I am a fourth-year Cognitive & Behavioral Neuroscience major with a Data Science minor at UC San Diego. I joined PEARL in July 2025 to gain research experience in a clinical setting, work directly with participants, and develop neuroimaging skills. I am conducting my psychology honors thesis at the lab, exploring functional connectivity during a social reward task in individuals with significant anxiety and depressive symptoms. I am also responsible for phone screening and assisting with brain imaging. Outside the lab, I enjoy Muay Thai, running, yoga, spending time at the beach, hanging out with friends, camping, hiking, exploring new coffee shops, and thrifting! In the future, I hope to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology to continue studying clinical populations (particularly OCD, anxiety, and depression) with the goal of understanding brain-behavior relationships and informing treatment approaches. 
  • Orli Gollan-Myers

    Orli Gollan-Myers

    Hi! My name is Orli and I’m a 3rd year at UCSD. My major is Psychology, and I joined PEARL in October of 2025. I became a part of PEARL because I am very passionate about those who struggle with anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses, and I want to contribute to helping them. In the lab, I’m currently responsible for being a confederate. Outside of the lab, I like to dance, play instruments, lift weights, and go to cafes with my friends. In the future, I hope to get a Ph.D in clinical psychology!! 

Pets

  • Bruiser

    Bruiser

    One of Charlie's two dogs.
  • Fern

    Fern

    One of Charlie's two dogs.
  • Jerry and Harry

    Jerry and Harry

    These are Bella's two dogs. Jerry is a 1-year-old Brindle Boerboel, and Harry is a 6-month-old Rottweiler & Caucasian Shepherd mix. They love to play fight with each other. Jerry is about 150 lbs, and Harry is about 100!
  • Athena

    Athena

    Athena is Rayya's 3-year-old rescue cat and is super friendly to everyone she meets. She craves everything chicken-related and makes biscuits on your neck until eternity. She loves neck scratches, but definitely will let you know when you are overstepping her boundaries. In her free time, she likes licking plastic to annoy her mom.
  • Jackson, Molly, and Poppins

    Jackson, Molly, and Poppins

    Meet Lora's kitties: Jackson, Molly, and Poppins! This black-and-white trio fills the house with love and just enough chaos. Together, they're a goofy, cuddly, and perpetually hungry bunch... and most importantly, absolute sweethearts <3

Alumni

  • Staff

    Staff

    Alison Sweet
    Tommy Tsai
    Sarah Dowling
    Kim Potter
    Sarah Huang
    Kaitlin Latta
    Karalani Cross
    Alex Skupny
    Alexis Roach
    Margaret Satchwell

    Postdocs

    Matt Boland
    Amanda Kahn

    Visiting Scholars

    Soo-Hee Choi

    PhD Students

    Sarah L. Pearlstein
    Maria Kryza-Lacombe

    Research Assistants and Honors Students

    Zoë Siddall
    Maya Cooper
    Joanna Chen
    Angela Chin
    Victor Fu
    Manmeet Kaur
    Paige Klein
    Ivory Ku
    Nana Pearson
    Bianca Pomar
    Felipe Guerrero
    Kate Elizondo
    Anna Gruszka
    Sumire Lundell
    Chris Kagoo
    Shaira Cruz
    Gage Chu
    Chris Heyman
    Natalie Dalton
    Melea Thomas
    Jenifer Dorsett
    Shayna Quach
    Maya Bunyan
    Iliana Favila-De La Trinidad
    Jasmine Ramirez
    Sarah Knapp
    Mercy Lopez
    Atiyeh Samadi
    Angelica Estrada
    Gregory Pak
    Allison Endo
    Eleni Kapoulea
    Sanskruti Kakaria
    Aaron Tay
    Vivi Dang
    Stephanie Zepeda
    Carl Bolano
    Anna Chen
    Michelle Chang
    Sarah Tran
    Jennifer Alcalde
    Nora Asi
    Melissa Perez-Ruan
    Jessica Foster
    Dina Naji
    Joelle Lam
    Alexis Andom
    Katie Price
    Katie Socha
    Lucia Chen
    Tiara Alvarado
    Deborah May
    Robyn
    Ethan Averbukh
    Gabby Arellano
    Megan
    Ari Goodman
    Alyson Johnson
    Elizabeth Tran-Nguyen
    Lina Choi
    Aly Bartolovich
    Damian Tapia
    Amanda Bruse
    Kari Siu
    Cameron Hicks
    Tom Bowers
    Angie Gross
    Jonny Brekke
    Nick Marshall
    Shivani Vasanth
    Mylon Kemp
    Elizabeth Stewart
    Nirel Ben Joseph
    Sarah Hoffman
    Kaye Han
    Ellis Conner
    Vito Vacirca
    Ivan Lagunas
    Alexa Duran
    Yian He
    Siyi He
    Brentney Reynolds
    Ana Zamudio
    Tina Dang
    Katherine Jamison
    Amy B. Nguyen
    Jess Sauceda
    Layla Farhan
    Tess Oswalt
    Sanjana Paul
    Mehar Zaman
    Sarah Benmalek 
    Ana Flores
    Trinity Do
    Anthea Roshan 
    Michael Mansour 
    Zachary Yoo 
    Maanith Shriyan