Our Stories #facesofatai shine bright

Each week, we celebrate the minds driving atai's groundbreaking progress. Today, meet Sarah McEwen, Ph.D. , our U.S.-based Senior Director of Clinical Science. With academic foundations at prestigious institutions like UCLA and UCSD, and now leading the charge on innovative biomarker strategies at atai, Sarah exemplifies dedication to advancing mental health.?

What inspired you to join atai??

Ever since I can remember, I've wanted to pursue a professional research career in psychology. My goal has been to help discover and create evidence-based mental health treatments. Every person in the world has been touched by a mental health issue at some point, and now more than ever, there is an urgent need for new and effective treatments. Although I am a scientist and researcher at heart, and I spent much of my research career as an academic faculty member at UCLA and UCSD studying the neurobiology of mental health conditions in conditions such as schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and major depression, I didn’t feel that I was fulfilling the unmet needs of patients and truly transforming patients’ lives. Making the move from academia to industry at atai has allowed me to carve out a new path for innovation and discovery in the pharmacological drug development field and allows me to apply my deep scientific expertise to give us the highest probability of success in getting these new therapies to the millions of patients in need.?

Can you tell me about your role at atai??

I work in R&D as the Senior Director of Clinical Science and lead biomarker strategy and Precision Mental Health initiatives for atai in our Development Chapter. I’ve had the privilege to work in clinical psychiatric research for almost 20 years now. In my academic clinical research, I have discovered the neural correlates predisposing risk for the development of psychosis and also developed effective psychosocial interventions to provide cognitive and therapeutic relief to patient populations. Now working at atai allows me to leverage the pharmacological effects of the drugs we are developing with an eye for biomarker targets in the conditions we are treating and then combine these compounds with scalable digitally deployed therapies, which can potentially have an exponential benefit for patients.??

How does the company culture at atai align with your personal values and aspirations??

I feel fortunate to have found a role in a company that supports the individual as a whole, not just the tasks they perform. This is why our core value of "Conscious Care" resonates deeply with me for two primary reasons.?

Firstly, as we work tirelessly as a committed team to alleviate others' mental health struggles, the journey can sometimes be intense and unyielding. Therefore, we mustn't neglect our own personal challenges. At atai, "Conscious Care" is paramount, and we are continually encouraged to prioritize our own mental health and well-being.?

Secondly, "Conscious Care" also signifies our commitment to making effective therapies available to everyone globally. Consequently, we are dedicated to conducting rigorous clinical trials to validate the scientific efficacy of our therapies. Our aim is for these treatments to become reimbursable and widely accessible.?

What sets atai apart from other organizations you have worked for, and why do you choose to stay??

The amazing people! My incredibly talented, collaborative, and supportive colleagues, along with an ambitious mission to develop scalable, transformative mental health treatments, this is what keeps me focused and driven every day to strive for success in our clinical research programs. The team at atai is a truly unique group of passionate and caring people and I respect and genuinely enjoy working with each one of them. We are a global team, so it is rare we all get together in person, but when we do it is so important for strengthening our bonds and not to mention a lot of fun (this company seriously knows how to dance!)?

What personal passion project are you working on outside of work??

I am an avid runner and have been an athlete my whole life, so I understand the stress and pressure athletes put on themselves to perform at their highest level. I also have two young sons who play competitive club soccer and see the toll the competition can take on them. So, I created a program to help inspire and train the next generation of athletes to help them be successful on and off the field. In addition to being a Cognitive Psychologist, I am an NSCA-certified personal trainer and recently became a certified Mental Strength Coach to help youth athletes develop mental resilience skills to reach optimal performance in their sport, but not at the sacrifice of their mental well-being.