Brooke McKenna, Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Email bgmcken@emory.edu
Current Role Postdoctoral Fellow | Purdue University | Indianapolis, IN
Upcoming Role Assistant Professor | Emory University | Atlanta, GA
ABOUT
Brooke is a clinical psychologist and postdoctoral research fellow in the Dunn Lab. Brooke’s research focuses on the interplay between biological factors (e.g., epi/genetics, gut microbiome) and environmental influences (e.g., childhood trauma, chronic stress) that contribute to developmental psychopathology and resilience within and across generations. Currently, Brooke is contributing to two NIMH-funded projects that focus on integrating longitudinal data with insights from genetics, epigenetics, and human development to examine the psychosocial causes and consequences of DNA methylation (DNAm) on risk for psychopathology in adolescence and young adulthood. In late 2026, Brooke will be joining the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory's School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor.
For more on Brooke's research, click here.
EDUCATION
2017 - 2023
Emory University
Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology
2011 - 2014
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
B.A. in Biology
B.S. in Psychology
2009 - 2011
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
High School Degree
TRAINING
2023 - 2026
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Dunn Lab (Erin Dunn, Sc.D.)
Massachusetts General Hospital, Center for Genomic Medicine
Purdue University, Interdisciplinary Genomics Research Center
2017 - 2023
Doctoral Student
BUILD Lab (Patricia Brennan, Ph.D.)
Emory University, Department of Psychology
2020 - 2022
Predoctoral Clinical Intern
Child and Adolescent Mood Program (CAMP)
Emory University, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
2019 – 2020
Clinical Practicum Student
Grady Trauma Project (Abigail Powers Lott, Ph.D.)
Emory University, School of Medicine
2015 – 2017
Project Coordinator/Research Assistant
Michaelson Lab (Jacob Michaelson, Ph.D.)
University of Iowa, Department of Psychiatry
2014
Undergraduate Clinical Intern
Summer Treatment Program (William Pelham, Ph.D.)
Florida International University
2013 – 2015
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Peer Relations Lab (Mitchell Prinstein, Ph.D.)
University of North Carolina, Department of Psychology
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
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2026 | NIMHD Health Disparities Research Institute scholar
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2022 | National Institute of Social Sciences (NISS) Dissertation Grant recipient
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2021 | American Psychological Foundation (APF) Elizabeth Munsterberg Koppitz Child Psychology Graduate Student Fellowship recipient
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2019 | Charles and Marjorie Dobrovolny Foundation Exceptional Research Award recipient
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2019 | National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship recipient
CONTACT
Email bgmcken@emory.edu
Current Role Postdoctoral Fellow | Purdue University | Indianapolis, IN
Upcoming Role Assistant Professor | Emory University | Atlanta, GA