Robert Schwarcz

Robert Schwarcz is a Professor of Psychiatry, Pharmacology, and Pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, affiliated with the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. He holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Vienna and completed postdoctoral training at Johns Hopkins University and the Karolinska Institute.

Education:

• B.Sc. in Chemistry, University of Vienna (1968)
• Ph.D. in Biochemistry, University of Vienna (1974)
• Postdoctoral Fellowships: Neuropharmacology (Johns Hopkins, 1975–1977) and Histology (Karolinska Institute, 1977–1979)

Research Focus: Schwarcz's work centers on the neurobiology of quinolinate (QUIN) and kynurenic acid (KYNA), key metabolites in the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan degradation. His lab investigates their roles in excitotoxicity, neuroprotection, and neurological/psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's. Recent studies explore drug development targeting QUIN and KYNA pathways.

Key Contributions:

• Discovered QUIN as a neuroexcitatory metabolite and KYNA as a neuroprotective agent.
• Pioneered the use of ibotenic acid for creating selective brain lesions.
• Highlighted glial cells' role in QUIN/KYNA synthesis and their implications in disease.

Grants & Labs: Maintains an 8-member lab focusing on experimental animal studies and clinical sample analyses. Collaborates with institutions globally, including the Karolinska Institute (as Foreign Adjunct Professor).

Awards:

• Lieber Prize for Schizophrenia Research (2022)
• AAAS Fellow (2019)
• Musajo Medal (2015)