All of us have witnessed, and some have felt, the debilitating effects of depression. 

It is an unfortunate reality that depression can take hold of lives and refuse to let go.

For Kate Harkness (Psychology), a primary research focus is the role of stress and early trauma in the etiology and ongoing pathology of major depression in adolescence and adulthood, which is the period of greatest risk for the development of major depressive disorder (MDD).

“Depression is the leading cause of disease burden worldwide and the main reason for this is that it causes significant and long-standing problems for people’s functioning at school, work, and in their relationships. In our research we’re taking a multi-disciplinary approach so that we can understand how the neurobiological, psychological, and social levels of analysis all work together to cause and maintain depression,” says Dr. Harkness=

As the principal investigator for the Mood Research Lab at Queen’s University, Dr. Harkness is leading the SARA Project, which aims to improve the identification of depression and to use the latest technologies in brain imaging, neuroendocrinology, and psychological and stress measurement to better understand the factors that trigger the disorder. Understanding this is all the more important as research shows that people experiencing MDD are at great risk for a recurrent and chronic course of the disorder throughout their lives.

Dr. Harkness is also a part of the Research Mentors program, where mid-career to senior faculty in the social sciences, humanities and creative arts with a high level of experience and knowledge of the grant application processes, provide support for other faculty members.

“The Research Mentors program is an extremely valuable avenue for knowledgeable peer review and consultation on SSHRC applications. We believe that faculty at all levels can benefit from this service and our hope is that it will translate not only into greater success at SSHRC for researchers at Queen’s, but also improvements in grantsmanship that will extend beyond the current grant competition,” she says.

Research Mentors promote a culture of research intensity and collaboration through a variety of activities, including best practice regarding peer review processes and the coordination of internal review, including for the current SSHRC Insight Grant competition. For more information, visit the Research Mentors page on the Office of the Vice-Principal (Research) website at queensu.ca/vpr/ssah-research-mentors, or contact Diane Davies at diane.davies@queensu.ca.