UMMS/SOM 20 2013 Annual Report UMMS/SOM 6 2013 Annual Report
LEADERSHIP AND IMPACT IN MENTAL HEALTH The University of Maryland School of Medicine has long been a world leader in mental health care, research and education. One shining example of its impact is the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center (MPRC), where faculty are working on new techniques in the early diagnosis of schizophrenia. Their studies have found that identifying the disease and treating it early — even in adolescence — can help patients overcome this condition and lead fuller lives. As the MPRC continued its critical work, 2013 marked a milestone. William T. Carpenter, MD, professor of psychiatry and pharmacology, stepped down as its distinguished longtime director, retaining his full-time professorship to devote himself to research and teaching. Dr. Carpenter’s research and patient care integrates biological, psychological and social data as they pertain to diagnosis, treatment and etiology. As one of the world’s leading experts on schizophrenia, he has made fundamental contributions in psychopathology, assessment methodology, testing of new treatments, research ethics and translational science. Robert W. Buchanan, MD, professor of psychiatry and director of the MPRC Outpatient Research Program, has been appointed MPRC interim director. Dr. Buchanan is a nationally recognized expert whose research includes the neurobehavioral and neuroanatomical investigation of the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. He also examines novel pharmacological treatment of cognitive impairments and treatmentresistant symptoms in people with schizophrenia. The Center for School Mental Health is another national mental health resource, conducting groundbreaking research and training school professionals nationwide on topics such as averting school-related violence and helping children cope with trauma. These issues were of increasing national importance this year after tragedies such as the school shooting at Newtown, Conn., in December 2012. Robert Buchanan, MD, and William Carpenter, MD