About
Titles
Psychiatry Resident
Biography
Amy was born and raised on Long Island, New York and graduated from Stony Brook University where she completed an honors thesis on taste processing in the gustatory cortex. She finished her MD/PhD at UMass Chan Medical School where her thesis work on understanding the role of the synaptic protein neurexin in serotonin signaling was supported by an F30 fellowship through the National Institute of Mental Health. Amy co-founded UMass MIND’s Community Intervention Program to work alongside community members with serious mental illness, local mental health organizations, and academic institutions. She co-developed the Food4Thought nutrition program and promoted creative expression for those living with serious mental illness and/or substance use disorders through arts-based programs.
As a second-year psychiatry resident at Yale, Amy continues her passion for public psychiatry, community-based participatory efforts, mentorship, and stigma reduction. She currently leads the Public Psychiatry Interest Group and plans to continue her work in lifestyle psychiatry to advocate for a healthier New Haven. She serves as one of the resident representatives of the Medical Student Education Committee and the Director of Communications on the Psychiatry Residents’ Association. Outside of work, Amy enjoys all things food, staying active, and spending time with friends and family.
Departments & Organizations
- Psychiatry
Education & Training
- MD/PhD
- UMass Chan Medical School (2023)
- BS
- Stony Brook University (2014)
Research
Research at a Glance
Publications Timeline
Publications
2023
Exploring Zentangle as a virtual mindfulness-based art intervention for people with serious mental illness.
Stojcevski M, Cheung A, Agwu V, Fan X. Exploring Zentangle as a virtual mindfulness-based art intervention for people with serious mental illness. Front Psychiatry 2023, 14: 1260937. PMID: 38098622, DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1260937.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchFood4Thought: a Medical Trainee-Led, Remotely Delivered Nutrition Outreach Program for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness.
Cheung A, Dutta P, Kovic Y, Stojcevski M, Fan X. Food4Thought: a Medical Trainee-Led, Remotely Delivered Nutrition Outreach Program for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness. Acad Psychiatry 2023, 47: 406-410. PMID: 36447069, DOI: 10.1007/s40596-022-01732-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAcculturation and mental health help-seeking behavior in a community cohort of individuals of Chinese descent.
Cui Z, Yuan Y, Cheung A, Yu T, Hu K, Wang C, Fan X. Acculturation and mental health help-seeking behavior in a community cohort of individuals of Chinese descent. Asian J Psychiatr 2023, 85: 103628. PMID: 37201382, DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2023.103628.Commentaries, Editorials and LettersNeurexins in serotonergic neurons regulate neuronal survival, serotonin transmission, and complex mouse behaviors.
Cheung A, Konno K, Imamura Y, Matsui A, Abe M, Sakimura K, Sasaoka T, Uemura T, Watanabe M, Futai K. Neurexins in serotonergic neurons regulate neuronal survival, serotonin transmission, and complex mouse behaviors. Elife 2023, 12 PMID: 36695811, DOI: 10.7554/eLife.85058.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2021
Neuroligin-3: A Circuit-Specific Synapse Organizer That Shapes Normal Function and Autism Spectrum Disorder-Associated Dysfunction.
Uchigashima M, Cheung A, Futai K. Neuroligin-3: A Circuit-Specific Synapse Organizer That Shapes Normal Function and Autism Spectrum Disorder-Associated Dysfunction. Front Mol Neurosci 2021, 14: 749164. PMID: 34690695, DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.749164.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDual diagnosis theater: A pilot drama therapy program for individuals with serious mental illness and substance use disorder.
Cheung A, Reid-Varley WB, Chiang M, de Villemejane M, Wood LL, Butler JD, Fan X. Dual diagnosis theater: A pilot drama therapy program for individuals with serious mental illness and substance use disorder. Schizophr Res 2021, 230: 95-97. PMID: 33191082, DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2020.11.008.Commentaries, Editorials and Letters
2020
Specific Neuroligin3-αNeurexin1 signaling regulates GABAergic synaptic function in mouse hippocampus.
Uchigashima M, Konno K, Demchak E, Cheung A, Watanabe T, Keener DG, Abe M, Le T, Sakimura K, Sasaoka T, Uemura T, Imamura Kawasawa Y, Watanabe M, Futai K. Specific Neuroligin3-αNeurexin1 signaling regulates GABAergic synaptic function in mouse hippocampus. Elife 2020, 9 PMID: 33355091, DOI: 10.7554/eLife.59545.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSingle-Cell Electroporation across Different Organotypic Slice Culture of Mouse Hippocampal Excitatory and Class-Specific Inhibitory Neurons.
Keener DG, Cheung A, Futai K. Single-Cell Electroporation across Different Organotypic Slice Culture of Mouse Hippocampal Excitatory and Class-Specific Inhibitory Neurons. J Vis Exp 2020 PMID: 33104060, DOI: 10.3791/61662.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNeuroligin3 splice isoforms shape inhibitory synaptic function in the mouse hippocampus.
Uchigashima M, Leung M, Watanabe T, Cheung A, Le T, Pallat S, Dinis ALM, Watanabe M, Kawasawa YI, Futai K. Neuroligin3 splice isoforms shape inhibitory synaptic function in the mouse hippocampus. J Biol Chem 2020, 295: 8589-8595. PMID: 32381505, DOI: 10.1074/jbc.AC120.012571.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchA highly efficient method for single-cell electroporation in mouse organotypic hippocampal slice culture.
Keener DG, Cheung A, Futai K. A highly efficient method for single-cell electroporation in mouse organotypic hippocampal slice culture. J Neurosci Methods 2020, 337: 108632. PMID: 32126275, DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2020.108632.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
activity American Association of Community Psychiatrists
Professional OrganizationsMemberDetails2021 - Presentactivity Gold Humanism Honor Society
Professional OrganizationsMemberDetails06/01/2022 - Presentactivity First-Generation Low-Income Individuals In Medicine
CommitteesMemberDetails2023 - Presenthonor Remillard Community Service Fund Award
Other AwardUMass Chan Medical SchoolDetails08/01/2022activity Sharing Experiences and Building Community: Using Creative Arts Therapy to Promote Recovery and Mental Health
Oral PresentationNational Organization for Arts in Health (NOAH) Annual ConferenceDetails10/19/2021 - PresentVirtual