Zachary Kaminsky , PhD
Dr. Kaminsky, DIFD-Mach-Gaensslen Chair in Suicide Prevention Research, received his PhD from the University of Toronto in 2008 and trained in one of the first labs studying epigenetics in psychiatry. In 2010, he developed a research program at Johns Hopkins using genome-wide DNA methylation microarrays to study brain and peripheral samples in PPD, suicide, and PTSD, generating some of the first epigenetic biomarkers in psychiatry.
As Chair of Suicide Prevention Research at The Royal’s IMHR, Dr. Kaminsky studies human populations in attempts to better understand both the molecular epigenetic underpinnings of psychiatric phenotypes and environmental stressors influencing their development in order to enable the generation of true “bench to bedside” translational findings.
Dr. Kaminsky’s research program also develops artificial intelligence driven natural language processing techniques applied to social media data for the purpose of prediction of future risk to suicidal thoughts and behaviors. His group is also developing and evaluating novel digitally delivered suicide interventions leveraging these technologies.
As a member of Suicide Prevention Ottawa, Dr. Kaminsky is involved in the implementation of suicide prevention initiatives for suicidal youth in clinical populations.
