Nopoulos’ research focuses on the study of the brain and behavior. This is done using state-of-the-art neuroimaging techniques, specifically Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Nopoulos is interested in aspects of understanding normal healthy brains such as differences in brain structure and function between the sexes, as well as understanding how the brain changes with development through adolescence. In regard to the study of disease, her lab has investigated differences in brain structure and function a variety of conditions, including: craniofacial disorders such as clefts of the lip and/or palate, Huntington’s Disease and Juvenile-onset Huntington’s Disease, prematurity in infants, and Myotonic Dystrophy type 1.  Nopoulos has served as vice chair for research for the Department of Psychiatry since 2011.

A large part of Nopoulos’ career has been in the mentorship of research careers for clinicians. She developed and directed the Iowa Medical Student Research Program (IMSRP) from 2001-2013 and directed the Iowa Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship, also from 2001-2013. In addition to students, she is actively involved in mentoring residents, fellows, and junior faculty members. Nopoulos served as associate director for education in the Institute for Clinical and Translational Sciences (ICTS) from 2013-2016, where she developed and directed the master’s program in Translational Biomedicine.  Currently, she serves as director of the Iowa Neuroscience Specialty Program in Research Education (INSPIRE) T32 post-doctoral program and actively supports several junior investigators with preliminary research projects.

Nopoulos was named chair and departmental executive officer (DEO) of the Department of Psychiatry in the UI Carver College of Medicine in July 2018 after a national search.