Bio
Dr. Laura M. Hack is an Assistant of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University and the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (PAVAHCS). As Associate Director of the Novel & Precision Neurotherapeutics Program at the Stanford Center for Precision Mental Health, Dr. Hack leads a translational, patient-centered research group that designs and implements mechanistic clinical trials for biologically informed subtypes of Mood, Anxiety, and Trauma-related Disorders (MATRDs).
Her work spans repurposed pharmacologic interventions (e.g., guanfacine), neuromodulation techniques (e.g., repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation [TMS]), and therapies involving altered states of consciousness (i.e., ketamine, MDMA, psilocybin, and anesthesia-induced dreaming). Across these modalities, Dr. Hack's focus is on tailoring treatment based on objective, biologically anchored markers that match the patient’s profile.
Dr. Hack also directs the Stanford Precision Psychiatry Clinic, a high-touch, high-tech consultation service designed to support individuals with a primary diagnosis of major depression and often comorbid MATRDs. This clinic integrates the investigational use of high-definition neuroimaging (personalized brain circuit scores) with symptom profiling, neurocognitive testing, pharmacogenomic analysis, inflammatory biomarkers, and standard blood work. The aim is to generate individualized insights that inform treatment decisions and help patients better understand the biological underpinnings of their condition—often reducing self-blame and empowering engagement in care.
In her role as Deputy Director as well as Ketamine and Education Lead of the Precision Neuromodulation Clinic (PNC) at PAVAHCS, Dr. Hack specializes in delivering evidence-based, FDA-cleared interventions including TMS and intranasal ketamine for Veterans experiencing treatment-resistant depression, frequently in the context of comorbid PTSD.
