“What sets Maddie apart is her vision to translate complex neurophysiological data into actionable clinical insights, and her drive to achieve this. Her work not only pushes the boundaries of neuroscience but also holds the promise of improving clinical care and outcomes for countless individuals living with mental illness.” – Nicholas Trapp

Hometown: Cary, Illinois

Faculty mentor/advisor: Nicholas Trapp, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine

Maddie Mocchi studies how fluctuations in pupil size reflect activity in the emotion-processing regions of the brain.  She aims to uncover measurable indicators from the body to personalize treatment for mood disorders like depression

Her work bridges innovative neuroscience and clinical care, offering tools to track treatment progress and reduce trial-and-error in therapies. Mocchi’s research has led to NIH grant submissions and collaborations across psychiatry and neurosurgery.

“Through my research at the University of Iowa, I’ve gained access to cutting-edge intracranial datasets and collaborative environments that have accelerated my growth as a translational scientist,” says Mocchi. “This experience has given me a deep sense of purpose and rapidly expanded my network of mentors and innovators.”

Her long-term goal is to lead a lab focused on researching how alertness and emotional regulation shift in depression and related conditions, developing treatment-tracking tools, and advancing mental health care.