Dr Myrna M. Weissman

Dr. Weissman is a Professor of Epidemiology in Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons and the School of Public Health at Columbia University and Chief of the Department in Clinical-Genetic Epidemiology at New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI). In July 2007 she became Chief of a Division in Epidemiology which consolidated most of the epidemiology units at NYSPI. Until 1987, she was a Professor of Psychiatry and Epidemiology at Yale University School of Medicine and Director of the Depression Research Unit. She has been a Visiting Senior Scholar at the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C.

Her current research is on understanding the rates and risks of mood and anxiety disorders using methods of epidemiology, genetics, neuroimaging, and the application of these findings to develop and test empirically based treatments and prevention intervention.  She directs a 3-generation study of families at high and low risk for depression who have been studied clinically for up to 25 years and who are participating in genetic and imaging studies. She directs a multi-center study to determine the impact of maternal remission from depression on offspring. She is participating in 3 large studies of the genetics of mood and anxiety disorder. She directs a study of psychiatric disorders in a poor minority patient population in primary care. Along with her late husband, she developed and tested interpersonal psychotherapy. Her book outlining the method has been translated into 4 languages and are used throughout the world including studies in Uganda, China, Greece, Italy, etc. An international society of researchers and clinicians using IPT was formed several years ago.

Dr. Weissman has been a consultant to many private and public agencies, and is a member of the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Science. She has been the author or a co-author of over 550 scientific articles and chapters, and 11 books, including The Depressed Woman: A Study of Social Relationships, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1974 with Eugene S. Paykel; A Comprehensive Guide to Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Basic Books, New York, 2000, A Clinician’s Quick Guide to Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Oxford Press, 2007 with Gerald L. Klerman and John Markowitz. She has been the recipient of numerous grants from NIMH and private foundations for her research and numerous awards. She is on the editorial board in many important journals including Archives of General Psychiatry, the American Journal of Psychiatry and Biological Psychiatry. A brief selection of her awards include:

1985 – The Rema Lapouse Mental Health Epidemiology Award, by the American Public Health Association
1986 – The Anna Monika Foundation Prize, based in Switzerland
1994 – The Selo Prize from NARSAD
1994 – The Rhoda and Bernard Sarnat International Prize in Mental Health,
1994 – Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Science.
1996 – Elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences.
1998 – Elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, United Kingdom. 
1998 – National Advisory Mental Health Council - National Institute of Mental Health
1999 – Council of American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP)
2000 – She was selected by New York Academy of Science as one of the area’s outstanding women in Science
2001 – American Psychiatric Association Award for Research Achievement
2004 – Distinguished Scholar Award – Partnership for Gender Medicine
2005 – Perry Award – Weil Cornell Medical School
2007 – Gold Medal for Research – Society of Biological Psychiatry
2009 – Thomas William Salmon Medal, New York Academy of Medicine