Medical College of Wisconsin
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CURRICULUM VITAE

Carissa W. Tomas PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Institute for Health and Equity
Division of Epidemiology

OFFICE ADDRESS:
Medical Education Building
8701 Watertown Plank Rd
Milwaukee, WI 53226

EDUCATION:
2013 - 2016 B.S., Mathematics and Psychology, Calvin College, Grand Rapids
2016 - 2019 M.S., Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee
2019 - 2020 Ph.D., Neuroscience University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI

POSTGRADUATE TRAINING AND FELLOWSHIP APPOINTMENTS:
01/2021 - 07/2021 Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI

FACULTY APPOINTMENTS:
07/2021 - Present Assistant Professor, Institute for Health and Equity, Medical College of Wisconsin, WI, Division of Epidemiology, Milwaukee

RESEARCH ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS:
2016 - 2020 Graduate Research Assistant, Affective Neuroscience Lab, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
2021 - Present Data Scientist
Comprehensive Injury Center, Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee Trauma Outcomes Project

AWARDS AND HONORS:
08/2013 - Present AP Scholar with Distinction
08/2013 - Present Siemens Special Scholarship Recipient
2013 - 2016 Calvin Presidential Scholar
2013 - 2016 Calvin Dean's List
2013 - 2015 Calvin Honors Fellows Scholar
2013 - 2016 Calvin Honors Program
2016 - 2018 UWM Chancellor's Graduate Student Award
2017 - Present UWM Summer Graduate Research Fellowship
2019 - 2020 UWM Distinguished Graduate Student Fellowship
2020 - Present UWM Summer Graduate Research Fellowship
2020 - 2021 UWM Distinguished Dissertator Fellowship

MEMBERSHIPS IN HONORARY AND PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES:
American Psychological Association
Society for Neuroscience
Society of Biological Psychiatry
International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
Organization of Human Brain Mapping
Milwaukee Trauma Outcomes Project
Professional Women's Nexus

LOCAL/REGIONAL APPOINTED LEADERSHIP AND COMMITTEE POSITIONS:
2017 - 2020 Vice President, Association of Graduate Students in Psychology, UWM
2017 - 2020 Vice President, Cognition, Learning, Attention, and Memory Society, UWM
2020 - Present Member, Data Science Club, UWM
2020 - 2021 Neuroscience Working Group Member, Psychology Department Diversity Committee, UWM
2021 - Present Coordinator, Neuroimaging Journal Club, Department of Psychology, UWM
2021 - Present Research Core Co-chair, Comprehensive Injury Center, MCW
2021 - Present Data working group member, Violence Response-Public Health and Safety Team (VR-PHAST)

RESEARCH GRANTS/AWARDS/CONTRACTS/PROJECTS:
Active
Peer Review
Title:
The Influence of Biological Vulnerability and Neighborhood Disadvantage on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Source:
American Psychological Foundation/Division 56 Trauma Psychology Grant
Role:
Co-Investigator
PI:
Dr. Weis and Dr. Webb
Dates:
06/21/2021 - 06/20/2022
Direct Funds:
$3,000
  
Title:
The role of context in the epidemiology of injury
Source:
Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin, Mentored Career Development Program (KL2)
Role:
Principal Investigator
Dates:
01/04/2022 - 01/04/2025
Direct Funds:
$486,530 (total for all years)
  

PEER REVIEWED WORKSHOPS/PRESENTATIONS:
Local
Weis, C. Trauma, PTSD, and Brain Network Dynamics. (April, 2020) UWM Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition Finalist.
Weis, C., Belleau, E., Pedersen, W., Miskovich, T., Larson, C. (March 16, 2018) Structural Connectivity of the Posterior Cingulum is related to Re-Experiencing Symptoms in PTSD. UWM Neuroscience Research Symposium. Milwaukee, WI.
Weis, C., Huggins, A. A., Miskovich, T. A., Fitzgerald, J. M., Bennett, K. P., deRoon-Cassini, T. A., & Larson, C. L. (March 15, 2019) White matter integrity in individuals at-risk for PTSD development: a longitudinal investigation. UWM Neuroscience Research Symposium. Milwaukee, WI.
Weis, C., Huggins, A. A., Fitzgerald, J. M., Miskovich, T. A., Bennett, K. P., Parisi, E.A., Webb, K., deRoon-Cassini, T. A., & Larson, C. L. (March 13, 2020) Data-driven approach to dynamic resting state functional connectivity in individuals at-risk for PTSD development. UWM Neuroscience Research Symposium. Milwaukee, WI.
 
Regional
Weis, C., Drost, C., Rootring, E., Moes, P. (May, 2016) Hemispheric Lateralization of Processing Gender and Emotion. Michigan Undergraduate Psychology Research Conference. May 2016. Adrian, MI.
 
National
Weis, C., Fitzgerald, J., Belleau, E., Pedersen, W., Miskovich, T., Larson, C. (2018, May) Structural and Functional Connectivity of the Posterior Cingulum is related to Re-Experiencing Symptoms in PTSD. 73rd Society of Biological Psychiatry Annual Meeting. New York, NY.
Parisi, E. A., Weis, C. N., Huggins, A. A., Bennett, K. P., Hajcak, G., Larson, C. L. (2019, May) Amygdala and hippocampal activation to conditioned stimuli during extinction following threat avoidance. 74th annual meeting of the Society of Biological Psychiatry. Chicago, IL.
Weis, C. N., Huggins, A. A., Miskovich, T. A., Fitzgerald, J. M., Bennett, K. P., deRoon-Cassini, T. A., & Larson, C. L. (2019, May) White matter integrity in individuals at-risk for PTSD development: a longitudinal investigation. 74th Society of Biological Psychiatry Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL.
Weis, C. N., Huggins, A. A., Bennett, K. P., Parisi, E. A., Larson, C. L. (2020, April) Dynamic functional connectivity of the periaqueductal grey in response to predictable and unpredictable threat using 7-Tesla MRI. 75th Society of Biological Psychiatry Annual Meeting. New York,
Huggins, A. A., Weis, C. N., Parisi, E. A., Bennett, K. P., & Larson, C. L. (2019, May) Trait anxiety associated with differences in BOLD activation during fear generalization task. 74th annual meeting of the Society of Biological Psychiatry. Chicago, IL.
Hunt, J. C., Fitzgerald, J. F., Weis, C. N., Huggins, A. A., Hanson, J. L., Isely, K. A., deRoon-Cassini, T. A., Larson, C. L. (2019, May) Classification of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury from Resting State fMRI: A Graph Theory Approach. 74th Society of Biological Psychiatry Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL.
Webb, E.K., Weis, C. N., Huggins, A., Hanson, J., Sellnow, K., deRoon-Cassini, T., & Larson, C. (2020, May). Neighborhood disadvantage is associated with smaller amygdala volume and altered amygdala functional activity. 75th Society of Biological Psychiatry Annual Meeting, New York, NY.
Huggins, A. A., Weis, C. N., Fitzgerald, J., Hanson, J., Bennett, K. P., Parisi, E. A., Webb, E. K., deRoon-Cassini, T., & Larson, C. L. (2020, May). Contingency awareness and neural response to threat: Associations with acute traumatic distress and childhood trauma. 75th Society of Biological Psychiatry Annual Meeting. New York, NY.
Fitzgerald, J.M., Huggins, A.A., Weis, C., Hanson, J., Bennett, K., Parisi, E., Webb, E.K., Larson, C., deRoon-Cassini, T. (2020, May) Differences in Endocannabinoids Relates to Intact Fear Learning After Traumatic Injury. 75th Society of Biological Psychiatry Annual Meeting. New York, NY.
Huggins, A. A., Fitzgerald, J., Weis, C. N., Hanson, J., Webb, E. K., Bennett, K. P., Parisi, E. A., deRoon-Cassini, T. A., & Larson, C. L. (2021, May). Neural activation during fear extinction acutely post-trauma predicts chronic PTSD severity. 76th Society of Biological Psychiatry Annual Meeting, virtual.
Fitzgerald, J.M.*, Webb, E.K.*, Weis, C.N., Huggins, A.A., Bennett, K.P., Miskovich, T.A., Krukowski, J.L., deRoon-Cassini, T.A.**, Larson, C.L.** (2021, May). Hippocampus Resting-State Functional Connectivity Forecasts Individual PTSD Symptoms: A Data-Driven Approach. 76th Society of Biological Psychiatry Annual Meeting, virtual. *joint first authors, **joint senior authors.
Weis, C.N., Bergner, C., Hillard, C.J., Larson, C.L., deRoon-Cassini, T.A. (2021, May). Using machine learning to predict non-remitting PTSD symptoms in two independent traumatically injured samples. 76th Society of Biological Psychiatry Annual Meeting, virtual.
Webb, K., Weis, C., Bennett, K., Huggins, A., Parisi, E., Miskovich, T., Kallenbach, M., Krukowski, J., Fitzgerald, J., deRoon-Cassini, T., & Larson, C. (2021). Neural Impact of Neighborhood Disadvantage in Traumatically-Injured Adults: A Multi-Modal Investigation. Society for Biological Psychiatry's Virtual Meeting.
Webb, E.K., Weis, C., Huggins, A., Bennett, K., Miskovich, T., Krukowski, J., deRoon-Cassini, T., & Larson, C. (2022). Neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage alters neural responding during cognitive and affective tasks: evidence for adaptive processes. Anxiety & Depression Association of American annual m, Denver, CO.
 
International
Weis, C. N. (2021) HALFpipe application in ENIGMA-PGC-PTSD. The ENIGMA Consortium All-Hands eMeeting.
Weis, C. N., Huggins, A. A., Bennett, K. P., Parisi, E. A., Larson, C. L. (2018, November) High resolution resting state functional connectivity in anxiety. 48th Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting. San Diego, CA.
Weis, C. N., Huggins, A. A., Bennett, K. P., Parisi, E. A., Larson, C. L. (2019, June) High resolution resting state functional connectivity of the extended amygdala. Organization of Human Brain Mapping. Rome, Italy.
Weis, C. N., Huggins, A. A., Bennett, K. P., Parisi, E. A., Larson, C. L. (2019, October) Resting state functional connectivity of the human periaqueductal grey using 7-Tesla MRI. 49th Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL.
Huggins, A. A., Weis, C. N., Parisi, E. A., Bennett, K. P., & Larson, C. L. (2020, June). High-resolution 7T-fMRI of human hippocampal subfields during threat generalization. Organization of Human Brain Mapping. Montreal, Canada.
Weis, C. N., Huggins, A. A., Fitzgerald, J. M., Miskovich, T. A., Bennett, K. P., Parisi, E.A., Webb, K., deRoon-Cassini, T. A., & Larson, C. L. (2020, June) Data-driven approach to dynamic resting state functional connectivity in individuals at-risk for PTSD development. Organization of Human Brain Mapping. Montreal, Canada.
Weis, C.N., Fitzgerald, J.M., Bergner, C., Hillard, C.J., Larson, C.L., deRoon-Cassini, T.A. (2021, November). Characterizing PTSD symptom trajectories in two independent traumatically injured samples. International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies, virtual.
Webb, K., Weis, C., Huggins, A., Kallenbach, M., Miskovich, T., Fitzgerald, J., Bennett, K., Krukowski, J., deRoon-Cassini, T., Larson, C. (2021, January). Stability of hippocampal subfield volumes after trauma and relationship to development of PTSD symptoms. SfN Global Connectome.
Weis, C.N., Haswell, C., Clarke-Rubright, E., Jahanshad, N., Gordon, E., Waller, L., Buettner, M., Pozzi, E., Toenders, Y., Larson, C., Schmaal, L., Veer, I, Thompson, P., Morey, R. (2021, June). Data-driven approach to dynamic resting state functional connectivity: an ENIGMA-PGC PTSD study. Organization of Human Brain Mapping, virtual.
 


BIBLIOGRAPHY
Refereed Journal Publications/Original Papers
1. Weis, C. N., Belleau, E. L., Pedersen, W. S., Miskovich, T. A., & Larson, C. L. (2018). Structural Connectivity of the Posterior Cingulum Is Related to Reexperiencing Symptoms in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Chronic Stress, 2. https://doi.org/10.1177/2470547018807134
2. Weis, C. N., Huggins, A. A., Bennett, K. P., Parisi, E. A., & Larson, C. L. (2019). High-Resolution Resting-State Functional Connectivity of the Extended Amygdala. Brain Connectivity, 9(8), 627-637. https://doi.org/10.1089/brain.2019.0688
3. Weis, C. N (2020). Data-Driven Approach to Dynamic Resting State Functional Connectivity in Post-traumatic Stress Disorder [Ph.D., The University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee]. In ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (2479407750). Dissertations & Theses @ University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. https://carissa-weis.shinyapps.io/cw_dissertation_shinyapp/
4. Webb, E. K., Weis, C. N., Huggins, A. A., Parisi, E. A., Bennett, K. P., Miskovich, T., Krukowski, J., deRoon-Cassini, T. A., & Larson, C. L. (2021). Neighborhood disadvantage is associated with stable deficits in neurocognitive functioning in traumatically-injured adults. Health & Place, 67, 102493. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2020.102493
5. Weis, C. N., Webb, E. K., Damiano, S., Larson, C. L., & deRoon-Cassini, T. A. (2021). Scoring the Life Events Checklist: Comparison of three scoring methods. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001049
6. Weis, C. N., Webb, E. K., Huggins, A. A., Kallenbach, M., Miskovich, T. A., Fitzgerald, J. M., Bennett, K. P., Krukowski, J. L., deRoon-Cassini, T. A., & Larson, C. L. (2021). Stability of hippocampal subfield volumes after trauma and relationship to development of PTSD symptoms. NeuroImage, 236, 118076. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118076
7. Huggins, A. A., Weis, C. N., Parisi, E. A., Bennett, K. P., Miskovic, V., & Larson, C. L. (2021). Neural substrates of human fear generalization: A 7T-fMRI investigation. NeuroImage, 239, 118308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118308
8. Weis, C. N., Bennett, K. P., Huggins, A. A., Parisi, E. A., Gorka, S. M., & Larson, C. (2021). A 7-Tesla MRI Study of the Periaqueductal Grey: Resting State and Task Activation Under Threat. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, nsab085. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsab085
9. Weis, C. N., Webb, E. K., deRoon-Cassini, T. A., & Larson, C. L. (2021). Emotion Dysregulation Following Trauma: Shared Neurocircuitry of Traumatic Brain Injury and Trauma-Related Psychiatric Disorders. Biological Psychiatry, S0006322321014979. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.07.023
10. Webb, E. K., Weis, C. N., Huggins, A. A., Fitzgerald, J. M., Bennett, K., Bird, C. M., Parisi, E. A., Kallenbach, M., Miskovich, T., Krukowski, J., deRoon-Cassini, T. A., & Larson, C. L. (2021). Neural impact of neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage in traumatically injured adults. Neurobiology of Stress, 15, 100385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100385
11. Fitzgerald, J. M., Webb, E. K., Weis, C. N., Huggins, A. A., Bennett, K. P., Miskovich, T. A., Krukowski, J. L., deRoon-Cassini, T. A., & Larson, C. L. (2021). Hippocampal Resting-State Functional Connectivity Forecasts Individual Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms: A Data-Driven Approach. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, S2451902221002329. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.08.007
12. Weis, C. N., Huggins, A. A., Miskovich, T. A., Fitzgerald, J. M., Bennett, K. P., Krukowski, J. L., Webb, E. K., deRoon-Cassini, T. A., & Larson, C. L. (2021). Acute White Matter Integrity Post-trauma and Prospective Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 15, 742198. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2021.742198