Dr. Murray Stein is a distinguished leader in psychiatric research and clinical practice, specializing in anxiety and trauma-related disorders. He currently serves as Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Public Health at the University of California San Diego, where he also holds the position of Vice Chair for Clinical Research in the Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Stein earned his medical degree from the University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine and completed residency training in psychiatry at both the University of Manitoba and the University of Toronto. His academic journey continued with a medical staff fellowship in anxiety and affective disorders at the National Institute of Mental Health, followed by obtaining a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. As a board-certified psychiatrist, he maintains a dual appointment as Staff Psychiatrist at the VA San Diego Healthcare System, bridging academic research with direct clinical care.
Dr. Stein's groundbreaking research has fundamentally advanced our understanding of anxiety disorders, particularly social phobia, panic disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. With an extensive publication record exceeding 700 peer-reviewed articles in prestigious journals including JAMA, New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, and American Journal of Psychiatry, his work has garnered over 216,000 citations, reflecting its profound impact on the field. He co-led the Army STARRS project, an NIMH-funded initiative that investigated risk factors for suicide and PTSD among military personnel, representing one of the largest mental health studies ever conducted in the U.S. military. His research spans multiple methodologies, from pharmacological approaches to treatment-resistant anxiety disorders to functional neuroimaging studies that elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying trauma-related conditions. Dr. Stein's work on interventions for anxiety disorders in primary care settings has significantly improved access to evidence-based treatments for millions of patients.
As a collaborative leader in psychiatric research, Dr. Stein has shaped the field through his executive role in the multicenter TRACK-TBI Study and his co-principal investigator position on a Department of Defense-funded trial investigating losartan for PTSD treatment. He is recognized for his ability to integrate psychological and pharmacological approaches, often collaborating with cognitive behavioral therapists to optimize comprehensive care for patients with anxiety disorders. Currently, Dr. Stein continues to push the boundaries of psychiatric research through functional neuroimaging investigations that connect biological markers with clinical outcomes in anxiety and trauma-related disorders. His ongoing work focuses on identifying biomarkers that predict treatment response and developing personalized intervention strategies for individuals with complex anxiety presentations. Through his mentorship of junior researchers and clinical trainees, Dr. Stein is ensuring the continued advancement of psychiatric science and the translation of research findings into improved clinical practice for patients worldwide.
