AI, Neuroscience, and Mental Health

AI for Mental Health Program (AI-M) https://ai.psychiatry.utoronto.ca/

Department of Psychiatry – St. Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto

The AI for Mental Health Program (AI-M) at the University of Toronto, led by Dr. Venkat Bhat, is recruiting Postdoctoral Fellows to work at the intersection of artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and mental health.

The program is building a research initiative centered around a core scientific question: How can the reciprocal relationship between neuroscience and artificial intelligence transform the understanding and treatment of mental illness?

Our work sits at the bidirectional frontier between brain science and AI

Neuroscience → AI: Insights from brain circuits, cognition, and psychiatric disorders inform the development of brain-inspired AI architectures and learning paradigms.

AI → Neuroscience: Advances in machine learning enable new approaches to analyzing multimodal brain and behavioral data, discovering biomarkers, and designing adaptive interventions for psychiatric disorders.

The program aims to develop next-generation computational and clinical approaches to mental health, grounded in both biological mechanisms and modern AI systems.

The AI-M Program Is An Interdisciplinary Initiative Within The Department Of Psychiatry At The University Of Toronto, Bringing Together Expertise Across:

Psychiatry and clinical neuroscience

Artificial intelligence and machine learning

Biomedical engineering

Neuroimaging and neurophysiology

Digital health and clinical informatics

Postdoctoral Fellows will have opportunities to collaborate with researchers across multiple hospitals and institutes within Toronto’s academic health science network, including collaborations with teams at Toronto Western Hospital and the KITE Research Institute on projects involving neurostimulation and neurotechnology.

The program provides access to large multimodal datasets, clinical trial infrastructure, and emerging digital mental health platforms, creating a unique environment for translational AI research in mental health.

Postdoctoral Fellows work in a variety of departments and units set in offices, laboratories, and clinical research sites. Working closely with and receiving advice and direction from a supervising scientist, the fellow is expected to develop a specialized area of research and expertise.

A Postdoctoral Fellowship Is An Extension Of Academic Training Received During The Doctoral Degree And Is Designed To Support The Transition Toward An Independent Research Career. Primary Responsibilities Include:

Developing research ideas and designing research studies under the direction of a supervising scientist

Leading or managing components of research projects and clinical studies

Developing machine learning models and computational approaches for mental health data

Writing manuscripts, research proposals, and grant applications

Presenting research findings at scientific meetings and conferences

Mentoring students and trainees within the research program

Research Areas

Postdoctoral Fellows may work on one or more of the following research areas

Multimodal AI for Mental Health

Develop machine learning models integrating diverse data sources such as

Clinical assessments

Neuroimaging and electrophysiology

Neurostimulation data

Digital phenotyping and wearable data

Behavioral and longitudinal health data

Agentic AI for Mental Health Care: Design and evaluate agentic AI systems and conversational agents capable of:

Supporting mental health interventions

Personalizing treatment strategies

Assisting clinical decision-making

Enabling scalable digital mental health care

Computational Neuroscience of Psychiatric Disorders: Develop computational models linking:

Neural circuits

Cognitive processes

Psychiatric symptoms

Treatment response

AI-Enabled Clinical Trials: Apply AI and data science approaches to improve

Patient stratification

Prediction of treatment response

Adaptive clinical trial design

Real-world deployment of digital therapeutics

Brain Stimulation and Neurotechnology: Collaborate with researchers at Toronto Western Hospital and the KITE Research Institute to analyze large datasets from neurostimulation platforms, including:

Deep Brain Stimulation

Functional Electrical Stimulation

Non-invasive neuromodulation technologies

Duties & Responsibilities

Due to the variable nature of the position, this list is intended as a guide.

Research Study Development and Initiation (55% of work time)

Lead or manage components of research studies under the direction of the Supervising Scientist.

Maintain a clear understanding of research ethics, regulations, and institutional policies while remaining in full compliance with ethical conduct standards.

Conduct ongoing review of relevant scientific literature to remain current with developments in the field.

Participate in and lead team/lab meetings and research rounds, providing intellectual discussion and presentations.

Develop study protocols and budgets; initiate and lead small to moderate-level studies under the direction of the Supervising Scientist following established processes.

Assist investigators in preparing and submitting research grant applications by contributing study results, interpretation, feedback, budgets, and study protocols.

Write proposals and applications for awards and fellowships (e.g., CIHR Postdoctoral Fellowship) in collaboration with the Principal Investigator.

Develop novel research ideas and design scientific studies addressing knowledge gaps or complex problems subject to review and approval by the Principal Investigator.

Utilize research expertise to contribute to institutional activities (e.g., poster competitions, seminars).

Assist and contribute to ongoing research within the Principal Investigator’s program.

Participate in committees when appropriate.

Support academic activities such as journal clubs, seminars, and scientific discussions.

Develop training tools and modules based on research activities and conduct training sessions.

Provide training on appropriate use of laboratory equipment and technologies when required.

Report / Manuscript Writing and Presentations (25% of work time)

Write reports and manuscripts for publication as first author under the guidance of the Principal Investigator.

Maintain responsibility for academic output of research studies.

Present research findings at local, national, and international meetings and conferences.

Collaborate and network with researchers to exchange scientific knowledge and stay informed about new developments.

Select appropriate analytical methods and statistical techniques to analyze data.

Interpret research results and contribute to scientific dissemination.

Conduct knowledge translation activities to disseminate research findings to scientific, healthcare, and broader audiences.

Day-to-Day Project and Staff Guidance (15% of work time)

Provide day-to-day guidance to research staff including research coordinators, assistants, and technicians.

Participate in hiring processes, including providing input on job postings and interviewing candidates.

Assist students in networking and connecting with other investigators.

Advise students on academic matters and career decisions.

Mentor trainees on research methods, literature reviews, data analysis, and scientific writing.

Foster internal and external collaborations to support research partnerships.

Administrative Duties (5% of work time)

Coordinate Research Activities With Other Departments When Required.

Assist with Research Ethics Board submissions and approvals.

Support grant application approvals and research contracts.

Participate in onboarding of research staff and trainees.

Assist with development of contracts and review of applications where appropriate.

Order supplies and maintain inventory for research studies.

Additional Responsibilities

Perform cross-functional duties as assigned.

Ensure strict compliance with patient and employee confidentiality practices and policies.

Follow institutional safety practices and standards.

Identify and appropriately report confidentiality breaches or safety incidents in accordance with institutional policies.

Qualifications

Applicants must

Have completed their PhD, MD, or equivalent doctoral degree within six years of the start date, or be in the final year of a doctoral program with thesis submission completed by the application period and defense successfully completed prior to the fellowship start date.

Candidate Background

We welcome candidates from two complementary backgrounds.

AI / Machine Learning / Engineering

PhD In

Computer Science

Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning

Biomedical Engineering

Data Science

Computational Neuroscience

Experience In Areas Such As

Deep learning

Foundation models or multimodal learning

Reinforcement learning or agentic systems

Machine learning for healthcare

Large-scale data analysis

Neuroscience / Clinical Sciences

PhD, MD, Or Equivalent In

Neuroscience

Psychiatry

Clinical Psychology

Cognitive Science

Pharmacology

Clinical Epidemiology

Experience In Areas Such As

Clinical neuroscience research

Neurostimulation or neuroimaging

Translational mental health research

Clinical trials or digital mental health

Candidates should demonstrate a strong interest in bridging neuroscience and artificial intelligence to address real-world mental health challenges.

Skills And Experience

Required experience includes

Experience in research study development, initiation, execution, analysis, and interpretation.

Experience preparing manuscripts and presenting scientific data.

Familiarity with research equipment and technologies relevant to the project (e.g., imaging systems, sequencing platforms, neurostimulation technologies, or computational systems).

Experience working with community-based research or vulnerable populations is considered an asset.

Technical Skills

Microsoft Office applications

Statistical software (R, Stata, SAS, SPSS, or equivalent)

Qualitative data analysis software (e.g., NVivo, Dedoose, Atlas.ti)

Core Competencies

Advanced computer skills

Effective communication and interpersonal skills

Ability to work independently and collaboratively

Strong attention to detail

Excellent planning and organizational skills

Ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds

Mentoring and coaching abilities

Strong problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills

Project management skills

Demonstrated ability to design and execute research studies

Curiosity and strong intellectual engagement in scientific discovery

Career Development

The fellowship is designed to prepare fellows for independent academic, industry, or translational research careers.

Fellows Will Receive Mentorship In

Interdisciplinary AI and neuroscience research

Grant writing and research funding

Translational AI and digital health innovation

Academic career development

Unity Health Toronto is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. We strive to provide a recruitment process that is barrier-free and in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code. We understand that you may require an accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process. When you are contacted, please inform the Talent Acquisition Specialist and we will work with you to meet your accommodation needs. We want to emphasize that all accommodation requests are handled with the utmost confidentiality, respecting your privacy and dignity.