DIRECTOR'S BIO
Nagy Youssef, MD, PhD
Nagy Youssef, MD, PhD, is the Vice President for Research & the Director of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Division - Grand Rapids Campus at Pine Rest & Michigan State University (MSU) and Professor of Psychiatry at MSU. He is a leading physician neuroscientist in Neuromodulation and Genomic Medicine. He had extensively researched diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutics to improve response and remission of treatment-resistant neuropsychiatric disorders.
Prior to working in Grand Rapids, Professor Youssef was the Director of Clinical Research at Ohio State University, the Director of Mood Disorder Program and Mood and PTSD Research Program and a professor at the Medical College of Georgia, and The Graduate School. Before that, he was one of the core faculty and a physician-scientist at the Brain Stimulation Division at Duke University and Durham VA.
He utilizes tools within neuromodulation and genomics to further the understanding of the mechanism of disease development and mechanism of action and the use of novel therapeutics for treatment-resistant functional brain diseases. Many of his prior studies focused on mood disorders, PTSD, boosting resilience and suicide prevention.
Professor Youssef was the principal investigator on studies of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) nationally and internationally. He designed and was the principal investigator on the first proof of concept clinical trial of low amplitude seizure therapy (LAP-ST) and a pilot randomized clinical trial in humans to reduce/avoid cognitive/memory side effects of ECT, among other ECT studies. The two LAP-ST clinical trials he led has found no memory side effects compared to ECT in several treatment-resistant neuropsychiatric disorders. Moreover, he led and consulted on studies of Magnetic Seizure Therapy (MST) and Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS).
He consulted and was a lead on the first comparative effectiveness clinical trial of Magnetic Seizure Therapy (MST) showing similar response to ECT using pulsed magnetic field as the stimulus and showing reduced cognitive side effects than ECT. He also did initial studies of DBS parameters and utilization.
Professor Youssef has presented his research findings in over 200 published scientific abstracts and papers. He also presented his research as a speaker nationally and internationally, and in two edited books. He has been invited to present some of his work and ideas to the public in TV, radio, and newspaper interviews.
Other than contributing to science via his studies and writings, he serves on several editorial boards and a reviewer for several scientific journals and granting institutions in the U.S., Europe, and Asia.
Peer reviewed papers Published:
Books:
- Neuromodulation in Basic, Translational and Clinical Research in Psychiatry
Ishii R, Nishida K, Youssef NA, Jann K, Takahashi S (Editors)