Gustavo A. Angarita, MD, MHS, assistant professor of psychiatry, and Joao P. De Aquino, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry, have been selected to serve as mentors in the 2026 Near-Peer Mentorship Program organized by the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP).
The competitive selection process identified Angarita and De Aquino from a pool of distinguished ACNP members, recognizing their dedication to mentorship and leadership in academic psychiatry.
The ACNP Near-Peer Mentorship Program is designed to support early-career scientists who are entering or working in research fields related to neuropsychopharmacology. The program provides structured, longitudinal mentorship to foster career development and to expand representation in the field.
As part of the program, Angarita and De Aquino will participate in a series of activities including monthly one-on-one mentoring sessions, seven virtual workshops, and two in-person meetings at the ACNP Annual Meetings in Nassau, Bahamas (2026) and San Diego, California (2027).
Angarita specializes in psychiatry with a focus on addiction psychiatry, particularly related to cocaine addiction. He is director of the Yale Cocaine Research Clinic, inpatient chief of the Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, and medical director of the Forensic Drug Diversion Clinic.
De Aquino, who leads the Pain and Addiction Interaction Neuroscience (PAIN) Lab at Yale, is known for his translational research on the intersection of chronic pain, addiction, and novel therapeutics, including cannabinoids. His selection to this national mentorship initiative reflects his broader commitment to fostering excellence in academic medicine and advancing the next generation of physician-scientists.