Zachary Harvanek, MD, PhD
he/him/his
Assistant ProfessorCards
About
Research
Publications
2026
Alterations in glucose and insulin resistance following stress and alcohol cues predict alcohol craving in those with AUD and obesity: A preliminary study.
Harvanek Z, Milivojevic V, Hart R, Sinha R. Alterations in glucose and insulin resistance following stress and alcohol cues predict alcohol craving in those with AUD and obesity: A preliminary study. Alcohol Clinical And Experimental Research 2026, 50: e70283. PMID: 42101823, DOI: 10.1111/acer.70283.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAlcohol use disorderAlcohol cravingLaboratory sessionsAssessment of alcohol cravingAlcohol use disorder groupCue-related cravingNeutral-relaxing cuesHealthy controlsChronic alcohol useAlcohol cuesUse disorderExposed to stressCravingRisk of relapseHC groupGlucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonistsAlcohol useInsulin resistancePeptide 1 receptor agonistsLinear mixed modelsHypothesis-generating resultsMechanistic overlapGLP-1 agonistsAlcohol intakeBlood glucose controlSafety, tolerability, and drug-drug interactions of NYX-783 and oxycodone in persons using opioids recreationally: Preliminary results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 1 study
Harvanek Z, Mignosa M, Kitaneh R, Oliva H, Borelli A, Dauginikas E, Fogelman N, Sakmar E, Taylor J, DiLeone R, Sinha R, Angarita G. Safety, tolerability, and drug-drug interactions of NYX-783 and oxycodone in persons using opioids recreationally: Preliminary results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 1 study. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2026, 279: 113041. PMID: 41604752, PMCID: PMC12924154, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2026.113041.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDrug-drug interactionsOpioid use disorderDouble-blindAdverse eventsDrug effectsSubjective drug effectsPlacebo-controlled phase 1 studyPositive allosteric modulatorsPhase 1 studyDiastolic blood pressureUse disorderOxycodone dosePrimary endpointInpatient studyOpioid useSynaptic plasticityPlasma levelsContext of opioid useOxycodoneAllosteric modulatorsPupillary dilationBlood pressureNovel treatmentRespiratory safetyHealthy humans
2025
Editorial: Epigenetic basis of circadian rhythm and metabolism
Kalkan R, Reinach P, Harvanek Z, Yan D. Editorial: Epigenetic basis of circadian rhythm and metabolism. Frontiers In Epigenetics And Epigenomics 2025, 3: 1736716. DOI: 10.3389/freae.2025.1736716.Commentaries, Editorials and LettersRace-Related Differences in Protective Effects of Emotion Regulation Against GrimAge Acceleration Are Driven by Assaultive Trauma
Chowdhary A, Holloway T, Xu K, Sinha R, Harvanek Z. Race-Related Differences in Protective Effects of Emotion Regulation Against GrimAge Acceleration Are Driven by Assaultive Trauma. Psychological Trauma Theory Research Practice And Policy 2025, 10.1037/tra0001888. PMID: 40232770, PMCID: PMC12354006, DOI: 10.1037/tra0001888.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEmotion regulationLifetime adversityBlack participantsAssess emotion regulationEmotion regulation difficultiesEmotion Regulation ScaleSignificant three-way interactionEffects of adversityBlack adultsThree-way interactionAdversity InventoryRegulation difficultiesRegulation ScaleGrimAge accelerationRegulate emotionsAssaultive traumaTraumatic eventsRace-related differencesNon-Hispanic black adultsWhite participantsEmotionsAdversityRacial differencesCross-sectional studyRace-related disparities
2024
Perceptions of Care and Perceived Discrimination: A Qualitative Assessment of Adults Living with Sickle Cell Disease
Crusto C, Kaufman J, Harvanek Z, Nelson C, Forray A. Perceptions of Care and Perceived Discrimination: A Qualitative Assessment of Adults Living with Sickle Cell Disease. Journal Of Racial And Ethnic Health Disparities 2024, 12: 3521-3530. PMID: 39227547, DOI: 10.1007/s40615-024-02153-3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSickle cell diseaseHealth care providersExperiences of adultsDiagnosis of sickle cell diseaseExperiences of discriminationAssessment of adultsCare providersExperiences of biasPublic health concernTertiary medical centerThematic analysisFocus groupsPoor communicationCell diseaseOutpatient clinicTeaching hospitalPerceived DiscriminationMedical CenterHealth concernAverage ageParticipantsCareEthnic groupsProvidersHealthChildhood adversity, accelerated GrimAge, and associated health consequences
Harvanek Z, Kudinova A, Wong S, Xu K, Brick L, Daniels T, Marsit C, Burt A, Sinha R, Tyrka A. Childhood adversity, accelerated GrimAge, and associated health consequences. Journal Of Behavioral Medicine 2024, 47: 913-926. PMID: 38762606, PMCID: PMC11365810, DOI: 10.1007/s10865-024-00496-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchBody mass indexChildhood Trauma QuestionnaireGrimAge accelerationEarly life stressChildhood adversityAssociated with higher body mass indexCross-sectional cohort of adultsMetabolic healthEffect of body mass indexHigher Body Mass IndexPhysical health problemsLife stressCohort of adultsAssociated health consequencesEffects of early life stressMetabolic health effectsModerating effect of body mass indexChildhood Trauma Questionnaire subscalesCross-sectional cohortCardiometabolic healthAccelerated GrimAgeCardiometabolic diseasesMedical illnessHealth consequencesMass index
2023
Greater stress and trauma mediate race-related differences in epigenetic age between Black and White young adults in a community sample
Holloway T, Harvanek Z, Xu K, Gordon D, Sinha R. Greater stress and trauma mediate race-related differences in epigenetic age between Black and White young adults in a community sample. Neurobiology Of Stress 2023, 26: 100557. PMID: 37501940, PMCID: PMC10369475, DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100557.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchTraumatic eventsGrimAge accelerationMore traumatic eventsWhite participantsExploratory mediation analysisMajor life eventsImpact of stressAssaultive traumaPsychological dataCross-sectional sampleCommunity sampleLife eventsMediation analysisLifetime stressRace-related differencesChronic stressorsCumulative stressorsYoung adultsCumulative stressChronic illnessYoung adult populationStressorsGreater stressHealthy adultsParticipantsThe Cutting Edge of Epigenetic Clocks: In Search of Mechanisms Linking Aging and Mental Health
Harvanek Z, Boks M, Vinkers C, Higgins-Chen A. The Cutting Edge of Epigenetic Clocks: In Search of Mechanisms Linking Aging and Mental Health. Biological Psychiatry 2023, 94: 694-705. PMID: 36764569, PMCID: PMC10409884, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.02.001.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus Statements
2021
Psychological and biological resilience modulates the effects of stress on epigenetic aging
Harvanek ZM, Fogelman N, Xu K, Sinha R. Psychological and biological resilience modulates the effects of stress on epigenetic aging. Translational Psychiatry 2021, 11: 601. PMID: 34839356, PMCID: PMC8627511, DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01735-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEmotion regulationResilience factorsCumulative stressWorse emotion regulationPoor emotion regulationPsychological resilience factorsNegative long-term health consequencesCommunity sampleEffects of stressBiological age accelerationPhysical outcomesMore stressBehavioral factorsChronic stressGrimAge accelerationHealth consequencesStress physiologyLong-term health consequencesEpigenetic agingPhysiologic measuresHealthy populationFinal modelAge accelerationAgingRelationship
2019
Neuronal Mechanisms that Drive Organismal Aging Through the Lens of Perception
Gendron CM, Chakraborty TS, Chung BY, Harvanek ZM, Holme KJ, Johnson JC, Lyu Y, Munneke AS, Pletcher SD. Neuronal Mechanisms that Drive Organismal Aging Through the Lens of Perception. Annual Review Of Physiology 2019, 82: 1-23. PMID: 31635526, PMCID: PMC7012701, DOI: 10.1146/annurev-physiol-021119-034440.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsConceptsSensory perceptionDecision-making behaviorTime perceptionLine of researchSocial perceptionNeural mechanismsSensory cuesFood perceptionThreat perceptionPerceptive experienceNeuronal mechanismsAge-related diseasesPerceptionNovel therapeutic targetAge-related physiologyTherapeutic targetGroups of neuronsInput influencesCuesPhysiologySensory neuronsAgingOrganismalGeneral thoughtsHuman health
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
Clinical Care
Overview
Zachary Harvanek, MD, PhD, is a psychiatrist specializing in treating psychiatric disorders in patients with complex medical, surgical, or neurological conditions. He currently works in the Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit (CNRU) at CMHC, where his clinical and research efforts focus on the interplay between mental health and physical health—particularly how stress, adversity, and psychological resilience shape long‑term outcomes such as biological aging, metabolic dysfunction, and obesity.
As an assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Harvanek investigates the neurobiological pathways through which stress impacts aging and health across the lifespan. He earned his medical and doctoral degrees at the University of Michigan and completed his psychiatry residency and fellowship at Yale School of Medicine.
Clinical Specialties
Psychosomatic Medicine; Psychiatry
Board Certifications
Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry
- Certification Organization
- AB of Psychiatry & Neurology
- Original Certification Date
- 2023
Psychiatry
- Certification Organization
- AB of Psychiatry & Neurology
- Original Certification Date
- 2022
News
News
- May 11, 2026Source: Alcohol Clinical and Experimental Research
Study: Alterations in Glucose and Insulin Resistance Following Stress and Alcohol Cues Predict Alcohol Craving in Those with AUD and Obesity
- January 07, 2026
Faculty, Fellows Give Presentations at Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Annual Meeting
- October 15, 2024
Verplaetse, Snell, Harvanek Awarded Brain & Behavior Research Foundation Grants
- May 20, 2024Source: Journal of Behavioral Medicine
Childhood Adversity, Accelerated GrimAge, and Associated Health Consequences
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