Raquel Gur

Raquel Gur, MD, PhD, is Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology, and Radiology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. She serves as Vice Chair for Research Development in the Department of Psychiatry and directs the Neuropsychiatry Section and the Schizophrenia Research Center. A longstanding member of the department since 1975, she has played a central role in advancing interdisciplinary research in psychosis and neuropsychiatry.

• Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Neurology, and Radiology, University of Pennsylvania
• Director, Neuropsychiatry Section
• Director, Schizophrenia Research Center
• Vice Chair for Research Development, Department of Psychiatry

Dr. Gur's research focuses on the neurobiological underpinnings of schizophrenia and psychosis, integrating cognitive neuroscience, neuroimaging, and clinical psychiatry. Her work bridges basic science and patient-oriented research, aiming to understand neurodevelopmental trajectories in psychiatric disorders. She has pioneered studies using structural and functional brain imaging to identify biomarkers of psychosis.

With over 300 peer-reviewed publications, her scholarly output reflects a sustained and influential trajectory in biological psychiatry and schizophrenia research. Her publications span cognitive neuroscience, neuroimaging methodologies, and clinical psychiatry, emphasizing translational approaches to understanding mental illness.

Her numerous accolades include the NARSAD Lieber Prize for Outstanding Research in Schizophrenia, the William Osler Patient-Oriented Research Award, and election to the Institute of Medicine (now National Academy of Medicine). She has held leadership roles in major professional organizations, including President of the Society of Biological Psychiatry and President-Elect of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology.

• NIMH MERIT Award (1989)
• NARSAD Distinguished Investigator Award (1999)
• Institute of Medicine Membership (2001)
• Lieber Prize for Schizophrenia Research (2009)
• William C. Menninger Memorial Award (2011)

Dr. Gur has mentored generations of trainees and junior faculty, contributing significantly to research development and education in psychiatry. She has led major training programs and served on the NIMH Council, influencing national research policy. Her role as Vice Chair for Research Development underscores her ongoing commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration.

She leads the Neurodevelopment and Psychosis Section and oversees the Neuropsychiatry Section and Schizophrenia Research Center, fostering interdisciplinary teams that integrate psychology, neurology, and radiology to advance understanding of severe mental illness.