Dr. Michael Bronstein
Research Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
The Institute of Health Informatics
Dr. Michael Bronstein is an Assistant Professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences and in the Institute for Health Informatics (IHI). He received his PhD from Yale University and his BS in psychology (with honors) from Washington and Lee University. Prior to his appointment, he was a postdoctoral associate in both the TRiCAM (Translational Research in Cognitive Affective Mechanisms) Lab led by Dr. Angus MacDonald and the CoTipp (Cognitive Training, Imaging, and Precision Psychiatry) Lab led by Department Head Dr. Sophia Vinogradov.
Blair Brown
Research Coordinator
[email protected]
Blair earned a BA in Psychology from the University of Minnesota with a minor in Family Social Science. She has been a member of the lab since 2023 and coordinates several active studies, including AFTER. As an undergraduate, Blair first became involved in research through the Familee Lab while working with Dr. Rich Lee.
She is primarily interested in applying advanced data-analytic techniques, such as natural language processing, to improve the assessment of suicidality and related clinical symptoms. Her work also examines transdiagnostic processes underlying comorbidity across mental disorders, including the role of executive functioning and negative attributional styles. Outside of the lab, Blair enjoys cooking and listening to live music.
Miriam Freedman
Research Coordinator
[email protected]
Miriam holds a BS in Psychology from Carleton College, along with minors in Neuroscience and Women and Gender Studies. She began working in the lab in 2023 and now oversees coordination for multiple ongoing projects, including the Psychology and Health study. Previously, Miriam worked with Dr. Angus MacDonald in the TRiCAM (Translational Research in Cognitive and Affective Mechanisms) Lab.
Miriam's research interests include the relationship between betrayal trauma and interpersonal trust, and she has worked extensively with the Minnesota Trust Game. She is also interested in clinical outcomes for individuals with psychosis spectrum disorders, with an emphasis on the role of social factors in shaping these outcomes. In her spare time, she likes to spend time hanging out with her new kitten and writing fiction.
Hayley Cox
Research Professional
[email protected]
Hayley is a 2026 graduate from the University of Minnesota, earning a BS in Psychology. She first gained research experience working in the Ringwald Lab under Dr. Whitney Ringwald. Hayley's research interest centers on understanding associations among personality, suicidality, and social media use through daily surveys to uncover real-time patterns that can contribute to mental health outcomes. Hayley first joined the Bronstein lab in the Spring of 2026. In her free time, Hayley likes to play with her cat Pumpkin and learn to play the drums.
Sophie Balint
PhD Candidate, Health Informatics (Precision & Personalized Medicine)
Graduate Student & Research Fellow
Fall 2025 | [email protected]
Sophie joined the lab in the Fall of 2025 after previously working with Dr. Bing Brunton and later conducted research with Dr. Emily Dworkin in the Trauma Recovery & Resilience Innovation Group. She previously earned her BS at the University of Washington in 2023.
Sophie's current work focuses on identifying transdiagnostic cognitive dysfunctions that contribute to suboptimal psychiatric interventions, using causal discovery methods alongside predictive modeling and other data-driven approaches to personalize mental health care. She leads analyses on several projects applying causal discovery algorithms to examine the relationship between theoretically informed variables on experiences of psychopathology and risk. Looking ahead, she aims to clarify and target shared transdiagnostic cognitive factors to improve clinical interventions.
If she isn't thinking about science, Sophie enjoys spending time with cute animals or doing yoga.
Alex Kachan
PHD CANDIDATE, HEALTH INFORMATICS AND DATA SCIENCE
[email protected]
Alex is a PHD student in the Health Informatics and Data Science program at the University of Minnesota. After completing his Master's in Clinical Psychology, Alex worked as a mental health therapist helping teens and adults with issues such as depression, anxiety trauma, and substance use disorders. Currently, Alex assists on studies in both the Bronstein Lab and the Technology Teens and Families Lab directed by Dr. Xiaoran Sun. Alex first joined the Bronstein Lab in the Fall of 2025, and works closely with the team on data analysis and clinical interviewing. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his friends, sailing, and playing Magic: The Gathering.
Undergraduate Students
Emily Turnquist - Spring 2025 & Summer 2025
Ursula Bader - Summer 2024 to Spring 2025
Xin Lin - Fall 2024 & Spring 2025
The Bronstein Lab
