Daniel Javitt, MD, PhD, Founder of the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatry

Daniel Javitt is an internationally recognized scientist, known for his studies of brain mechanisms associated with psychosis and other severe psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. His specialty lies in neurobiology; specifically focusing on the role of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors – receptors for glutamate neurotransmission – both normally and during disease states. As a result of this work he has helped create new classes of medications designed to treat schizophrenia such as glycine transport inhibitors.

Professional Career

Javitt earned his BA, magna cum laude degree at Princeton University in 1979 before going on to receive his MD at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Since then he has held positions of professorship of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons as Director of Experimental Therapeutics as well as Schizophrenia Research Director at Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research.

His research centers around brain mechanisms underlying psychosis and severe psychiatric disorders, with particular attention given to glutamate systems and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor function both in health and disease states. He was among the first to demonstrate how NMDA receptor dysfunction may contribute to schizophrenia.

His work has been featured in Scientific American and other popular science venues, with his primary areas of research including schizophrenia, neuroscience, mismatch negativity and stimuli.

Achievement and Honors

Dr. Daniel Javitt has made it his life’s mission to explore the relationship between psychiatry and brain science. With over 250 scientific publications to his credit, he is considered an expert on this field. He studies brain mechanisms associated with psychosis and other severe psychiatric conditions, specifically N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptors’ role in health and disease. As one of the pioneering scientists to demonstrate NMDA receptor dysfunction in schizophrenia, his work was instrumental in creating glutamatergic theories of psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia. He is the founding director of the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, receiving awards from various organizations for his work. Additionally, PBS featured him as part of their special and Scientific American article; additionally, Sunovion and Takeda provided consulting payments, while holding equity positions were Glytech, AASI and NeuroRx also granted shares to him as compensation for consulting services rendered.

Personal Life

Daniel Javitt serves as director of the Nathan Kline Institute’s (NKI) Schizophrenia Research Program and Division of Experimental Therapeutics in New York. At Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, he serves as both professor of psychiatry and neuroscience and faculty member in the Department of Neuroscience. His research specializes in investigating brain mechanisms related to negative symptoms and cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia. He was one of the first to demonstrate the correlation between NMDA receptor dysfunction and schizophrenia and glutamate’s role in both normal brain functioning and disease processes. As an author and researcher, Dr. Michael Schor has published over 250 articles and earned several awards from organizations like the American Psychiatric Association, Society for Biological Psychiatry and National Institutes of Mental Health. Additionally, his work has been highlighted in Scientific American as well as other popular science publications.