Karina Davidson, PhD

Dr. Karina Davidson's research focuses on biopsychosocial in- fluences on cardiovascular disease. She was the Principal In- vestigator for one series of NHLBI studies (COPES) examining the etiologies, mechanisms and treatments by which depression confers prognostic risk in patients with acute coronary syn- drome (ACS), and is also is Principal Investigator for a NHLBI -funded program project grant (PULSE) examining novel de- pression phenotypes and their pathophysiological and behavior- al mechanisms underlying ACS recurrence risk.

She is also conducting an NHLBI-funded randomized con- trolled trial to test which of two depression treatments im- proves survival in ACS patients. She has previously conducted randomized controlled trials on telephone-administered Prob- lem-Solving Therapy for depression, hostility management, and improving constructive anger, and has also applied dose- finding methodologies to the development of behavioral inter- ventions for patients with cardiovascular diseases. She has suc- cessfully mentored several junior faculty members from many disciplines and with differing scientific interests.