Dr. Valone is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California. Dr. Valone is currently involved with the following research projects at the University of Southern California.
- Genomic Psychiatry Cohort (Carlos Pato, M.D., and Michele Pato, M.D., Principal Investigators)
Although the causes of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are not well known, it is clear that there is a genetic component to the transmission of these disorders. In spite of clear evidence of a genetic factor, no specific genes have been identified that are definitively associated with bipolar spectrum disorders or schizophrenia spectrum disorders. If the underlying genetic components of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia could be better identified and understood, prevention, early detection, and improved treatment could be the result. The Genomic Psychiatric Cohort research project at USC is one effort toward this goal.
Dr. Valone and The Arroyos® Psychological Associates are currently serving as a node in the Genomic Psychiatric Cohort. The Genomic Psychiatric Cohort is a very large National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) funded research study of the genetic causes of bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia, and various other physical and mental disorders and psychological traits. The goal of the study is to enroll 5,000 individuals with bipolar disorder, and 5,000 individuals with schizophrenia, in the Los Angeles area. Anonymous genetic data from these subjects will be kept in the NIMH Repository and pooled in a very large database called the Database of Genotypes and Phenotypes specifically for research on these disorders. No individually identifying information will ever be released into any database outside of this study.
Any individual who is interested in participating in this study should contact Dr. Valone directly at (626) 405-9066 for more information.
