Our People

  • Dr. Brook has been the inaugural director of the Isaac Ray Research Program since its inception in 2018. His research program is rooted in behavioral neuroscience and emphasizes the bio-psycho-social approach to the understanding of human behavior including interpersonal violence and the interactions between individuals, communities, and legal systems.

    Dr. Brook co-directs the Forensic Neuropsychology Laboratory, along with Dr. Robert Hanlon, within the Division of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine.

  • Dr. Hanlon co-directs the Forensic Neuropsychology Laboratory, along with Dr. Brook, within the Division of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine. His research examines brain abnormalities and neuropsychiatric disorders associated with violent criminal behavior. In his work as a forensic neuropsychologist he has conducted neuropsychological and/or psychological evaluations of over 500 criminal defendants including over 300 individuals charged with murder.

Affiliated Labs and Faculty

  • Health Disparities and Public Policy Program

    Research Focus: Health needs of traditionally underserved populations such as racial/ethnic minorities, impoverished persons, the homeless and incarcerated populations.

  • Cook County Juvenile Court Clinic

    Research Focus: Characteristics of child custody evaluations conducted in urban courts in relation to established standards and guidelines. Strategies to enhance the knowledge and utilization of legally relevant mental health information in juvenile justice and child protection proceedings.

  • Cook County Juvenile Court Clinic

    Research Focus: Since 2010, she has worked at the Cook County Juvenile Court Clinic, where she completes court-ordered evaluations for juvenile justice and child protection proceedings. In 2016, she became the Associate Director of the Cook County Juvenile Court Clinic.

  • Northwestern Neighborhood & Network Initiative

    Research Focus: The application of network science to the study of gun violence, police misconduct, illegal gun markets, street gangs, and urban neighborhoods.

  • Research Focus: Behavioral genetics, particularly inheritance of susceptibility to addiction and to antisocial behaviors; electroconvulsive therapy; psychiatric ethics.

  • Research Focus: Intersection of perinatal psychiatry and the law. She has a particular interest in pregnancy denial, postpartum psychosis, neonaticide, and infanticide.

  • Research Focus: Nonsuicidal self-injury, suicide, and the implementation of psychological practices including digital mental health.

Staff and Students

  • Project Coordinator, Safer Together Coalition project

    Agnieszka (Aga) is a PhD student in the downtown campus Clinical Psychology PhD program. Her research interests include forensic psychology, violence risk assessment, and rehabilitation within the criminal-legal system.

  • JC is a graduate student in the downtown campus Clinical Psychology PhD program. His research interests include traumatic brain injury, forensic neuropsychology, and public health research.

Community and Organizational Partners