Dr. Shilat Haim-Nachum

Dr. Shilat Haim-Nachum, head of the TRACE Lab (Trauma Research and Clinical Engagement), leads a research team focused on the cognitive, emotional, and neural mechanisms linking childhood trauma to long-term mental health outcomes, including PTSD and depression. The lab’s work centers on cognitive processes such as belief rigidity, impaired belief updating, and self-stigma, employing experimental paradigms, digital AI-based simulations, and neuroimaging tools. The team also conducts large-scale analyses of childhood trauma-related brain alterations—such as changes in the nucleus accumbens—using datasets like ABCD, with the goal of identifying neural biomarkers for (C)PTSD. By integrating clinical psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and digital innovation, the TRACE Lab aims to inform scalable and culturally sensitive approaches to the prevention and treatment of trauma-related outcomes in youth and adults.