We recently caught up with one of MQ's newest Fellows, Dr Brenda Cabrera-Mendoza from Yale University. Brenda is researching how to improve the prediction accuracy of the risk of suicide in different groups of people, so that we can have more effective screening programmes to find at-risk individuals and better support them.
You can read more about Brenda's research here.
Please give a brief summary of your academic career to date:
I trained as both a medical doctor and a scientist in Mexico, where I earned an MD-PhD at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. My PhD research focused on studying molecular changes in the brains of individuals who died by suicide. After completing my PhD, I moved to the United States and joined Dr. Polimanti’s Lab at Yale University, where I now work as a postdoctoral researcher studying how our genes may influence mental health conditions, such as anxiety, addictions, and suicide risk.
How long have you been at your current university/institution and what do you like about it?
I have been at Yale University for almost five years. What I love most about Yale is the strong sense of collaboration, where people from many scientific disciplines come together with a shared goal of improving mental health. It is a place that truly values innovation and teamwork, and that has allowed me to pursue new and transdisciplinary ideas in my research.
What is your area of study?
I study the biology of suicide. My work integrates genetics, brain biology, and environmental factors to better understand how risk develops across a person’s lifetime, particularly in groups that are often underrepresented in research, such as individuals from non-European ancestries.
What motivated you to study this area? Do you have a personal connection to the subject?
Growing up, I saw first-hand how mental illness and suicide affect families and communities, especially in places where mental health care resources are limited. People with mental health conditions go through some of the most painful moments and stigma and silence often make things worse. I think that if we can understand better the causes of these conditions, we will be able to reduce stigma and develop preventive and treatment measures that really help people.
What are you hoping to discover or achieve as a result of your research?
My goal is to characterize the contribution of genetic and clinical factors to suicidal behaviors and use this information to improve our identification of individuals at high suicidal risk and help tailor prevention strategies to the people who need them most. By studying suicide in diverse populations, including Veterans and individuals from different ancestries, we can make sure future discoveries truly help everyone, not only those historically included in research.
Ultimately, I want my work to help identify individuals at high suicide risk early so we can take timely preventive measures and prevent suicide.
What does your day to day look like as an MQ Fellow?
Every day is different, which is a great thing! Some days I am analysing data or working on figures; other days I am writing papers or giving feedback on papers where I have contributed. I also spend time reading about the work of other researchers to stay updated on the latest discoveries in the field.
What does receiving an MQ Fellowship mean to you?
It means so much to me. There is still so much we need to explore about suicide. Only in recent years has it been studied as a trait with characteristics independent of mental disorders rather than just a mere consequence of them. The MQ Fellowship is not just financial support; I really appreciate the emphasis on the involvement of the public and people with lived experiences. This award has also provided me with more confidence in the work we are doing and motivates me to look for further questions.
Would you encourage other scientists to apply for an MQ Fellowship?
Absolutely. MQ empowers early-career scientists to pursue bold ideas with real-world impact. The Fellowship provides a supportive community, responsive staff, global visibility, and a mission-driven network that is deeply committed to improving mental health. I really value the emphasis on lived experiences.
Is there anything else you would like to say?
I would like to thank MQ and all the donors who make this Fellowship possible. Your support allows researchers like me to take crucial steps toward reducing suicide rates and offering hope to individuals and families worldwide.
Brenda is a 2024 MQ Fellow. You can learn more about the MQ Fellows programme here.
