Jonathan E. Alpert

Jonathan E. Alpert, M.D., Ph.D., is a Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Neuroscience, and Pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He holds the Dorothy and Marty Silverman Chair in Psychiatry and serves as Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Previously, he spent 24 years at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School, where he directed the Depression Clinical and Research Program and held the Joyce R. Tedlow Chair in Depression Studies. He is affiliated with Montefiore Medical Center and leads the Lab of Jonathan E. Alpert.

Dr. Alpert earned his Bachelor of Arts summa cum laude in Psychology and Philosophy from Yale College (1977), followed by an M.D. from Yale University (1986) and a Ph.D. in Behavioral Pharmacology from the University of Cambridge (1987) as a Marshall Scholar. He completed pediatrics residency at Boston Children’s Hospital (1989) and psychiatry residency at McLean Hospital (1992), where he served as Chief Resident in psychopharmacology.

His research focuses on novel treatments for treatment-resistant mood disorders, early-onset depression, depression comorbid with medical illnesses, and ethical aspects of human research. He emphasizes biomarkers for depression and treatment response, as well as medical education reform. Dr. Alpert has authored over 225 publications and secured funding for numerous research projects.

His articles from 2021–2012 reflect a focus on pandemic-related mental health challenges, machine learning applications in psychiatry, cost analyses of depression treatments, and pharmacological innovations. He has been recognized as a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and received teaching, mentorship, and service awards from Harvard Medical School, MGH, and others.

Dr. Alpert has advised and mentored numerous professionals through his roles in academic leadership. He co-founded the STAR*D-Child study and contributed to large-scale initiatives like the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) trial. His current efforts include advancing behavioral health integration in academic medical centers and improving ethical standards in clinical research.

He chairs the American Psychiatric Association’s Council on Research and is a member of multiple professional organizations, including the Society of Biological Psychiatry and Anxiety and Depression Association of America. His lab at Einstein College of Medicine explores translational psychiatry approaches to mood disorders, leveraging interdisciplinary collaboration.