Leading Researcher at The Institute of Personalized Psychiatry and Neurology, St Petersburg V. M. Bekhterev National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology, Russia
Dr. Natalia Zakharova is a highly accomplished psychiatrist and neuroscientist with extensive clinical and academic experience. She currently serves as the Head of the Laboratory for Fundamental Research Methods at the Center of Neuropsychiatry, Mental-Health Clinic No. 1 named after N.A. Alexeev, under the Moscow Healthcare Department. Her work integrates psychiatric practice with innovative approaches in clinical research, genetics, and neuropsychiatric treatment.
🔹Professional Profile:
Scopus
Orcid
🎓Education Background
Dr. Zakharova earned her M.D. from Volgograd State Medical University in 2004 and completed a clinical internship in psychiatry at the Sechenov Moscow Medical Academy in 2005. She pursued postgraduate studies at the Research Center for Mental Health and defended her Ph.D. dissertation in 2015 on “Remissions in recurrent depressive disorder (epidemiology, typological differentiation, therapy).”
💼 Professional Development
Dr. Zakharova has held multiple leadership and research roles across prestigious institutions. Since 2021, she has led the Laboratory for Fundamental Research Methods at the Mental-Health Clinic No. 1. From 2017 to 2021, she was a senior researcher at the Education Center of the same clinic. Earlier, she served as an assistant professor in psychiatry and medical psychology at the Russian National Research Medical University and as a researcher at the Scientific Center for Mental Health. In parallel, she acted as a scientific consultant for the xGenCloud project and coordinated the “PsyGenCheck” program. Clinically, she has worked as a practicing psychiatrist since 2005, including in emergency psychiatric services.
Her research focuses on recurrent depressive disorders, clinical genetics in psychiatry, psychosomatic disorders, borderline mental pathology, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and qualitative research methodology. She has contributed to initiatives involving psychiatric genomics and the automation of genetic test interpretation.
📈Author Metrics:
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RSCI Publications: 90
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RSCI Citations: 224
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RSCI Hirsch Index: 7
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Scopus Publications: 54
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Scopus Hirsch Index: 8
🏆Awards and Honors:
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Recognized by the Moscow Department of Health with multiple commendations.
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Psychiatrist of the highest qualification category.
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Author of a registered database on depression relapse and remission (No. 2015620683).
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Holds multiple certifications in advanced psychiatry, clinical research methodology, medical education, and neuromodulation techniques.
📝Publication Top Notes
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Veǐko, N.N., Ershova, E.S., Kondratyeva, E.I., Zakharova, N.V., Kostyuk, S.V.
Title: Copy Number Variations of Human Ribosomal Genes in Health and Disease: Role and Causes
Journal: Frontiers in Bioscience, 2025
Topic: Genetic mechanisms in neuropsychiatric disorders, ribosomal gene variation
Citations: 0 (as of now)
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Zhemchuzhnikov, A.D., Kartashov, S.I., Kozlov, S.O., Mamedova, G.S., Kaydan, M.A.
Title: The Search for the Most Informative Areas for the Binary Classification of Schizophrenia Using Resting fMRI Data Based on a Method for Extracting Functionally Homogeneous Areas
Journal: Neuroscience and Behavioral Physiology, 2025
Topic: Resting-state fMRI biomarkers in schizophrenia
Citations: 0
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Zhemchuzhnikov, A.D., Kartashov, S.I., Kozlov, S.O., Mamedova, G.S., Kaydan, M.A.
Title: On Most Informative Regions for Binary Classification of Schizophrenia Based on Resting State fMRI Data Done by Selection of Functionally Homogeneous Regions Method
Journal: Zhurnal Vysshei Nervnoi Deyatelnosti Imeni I.P. Pavlova, 2024
Topic: Computational neuroimaging in schizophrenia classification
Citations: 0
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Zakharova, N.V., Bravve, L.V., Mamedova, G.S., Skurinova, M., Oshevsky, D.S.
Title: Personal Dimensions in First Psychotic Episode Patients with Catatonia
Type: Conference Paper
Topic: Personality traits and clinical features in catatonic psychosis
Citations: 0
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Bravve, L.V., Mamedova, G.S., Kaydan, M.A., Zaborin, A.S., Zakharova, N.V.
Title: Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Study of Catatonia: Use of DWI and Resting State fMRI
Journal: Psychiatry (Moscow), 2024
Topic: Neuroimaging techniques in catatonia research
Citations: 0
Conclusion
Dr. Natalia Zakharova is an outstanding candidate for the Best Researcher Award, exemplifying excellence in interdisciplinary psychiatric research, clinical innovation, and leadership. Her work bridges genomic science, neuroimaging, and psychiatry with practical clinical application, making her contributions both scientifically impactful and clinically meaningful.
Her recognition would not only honor her current achievements but also encourage continued leadership in the future of personalized psychiatry. With modest enhancements in international engagement and outreach, she is poised to become a globally recognized leader in neuropsychiatric research.
➡️ Recommendation: Strongly recommended for the award.