Dr. Maurizio Fava stands as a preeminent psychiatrist and research leader whose work has fundamentally shaped the field of depression treatment and clinical research methodology. He currently serves as Psychiatrist-in-Chief at Massachusetts General Hospital, Director of the Division of Clinical Research at the MGH Research Institute, and Executive Director of the Clinical Trials Network and Institute. Holding the Slater Family Professorship of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, he has established himself as a cornerstone of academic psychiatry through his dual commitment to clinical excellence and scientific innovation. Dr. Fava earned his medical degree from the University of Padova School of Medicine, where he completed residency training in endocrinology before moving to the United States to complete psychiatry residency at Massachusetts General Hospital. His visionary leadership began in 1990 when he founded the Depression Clinical and Research Program, which he directed for 24 years until 2014, and continued in 2007 with the establishment of the MGH Psychiatry Clinical Trials Network and Institute.
Dr. Fava's scientific contributions have transformed depression research through rigorous clinical investigation and innovative trial methodology. His unparalleled scholarly output includes over 800 original articles published in international medical journals with more than 80,000 citations and an h-index exceeding 140, alongside eight edited books that have become essential references in the field. He pioneered the first prospective, placebo-controlled study of discontinuation-emergent adverse events of newer antidepressants and designed protocols for large multicenter studies on SSRI treatment interruption. As co-principal investigator of STAR*D, the largest research study ever conducted in depression, and principal investigator of the RAPID Network investigating rapidly-acting antidepressant therapies, Dr. Fava has established new standards for clinical trials in psychiatry. His research leadership has secured approximately $150 million in funding from NIH, federal agencies, foundations, and industry partners, enabling groundbreaking work that has directly influenced clinical practice guidelines worldwide.
Beyond his direct research contributions, Dr. Fava has cultivated a legacy of scientific excellence through mentorship and institutional innovation that continues to shape the future of psychiatric research. He created the first academic CRO specialized in coordinating multi-center clinical trials in psychiatry, establishing a model now emulated across academic medical centers globally. As a sought-after lecturer with more than 300 national and international presentations, he has disseminated evidence-based approaches to depression treatment to clinicians and researchers worldwide. Dr. Fava serves as Editor-in-Chief of MGH's "Mind, Mood & Memory" newsletter, translating complex research findings into accessible knowledge for both professionals and the public. His ongoing work continues to explore novel treatments for depression and nicotine dependence, maintaining his position at the forefront of psychiatric innovation while training the next generation of clinical researchers who will carry forward his integrative approach to mental health science.
