Boris Birmaher, MD

Endowed Chair in Early Onset Bipolar Disease and Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry

Areas of Expertise

  • Children & Adolescents
  • Mood Disorders
  • Anxiety, OCD & Trauma Disorders
  • Psychosis
Boris Birmaher, MD
Expertise & Interests Selected Publications Education & Credentials Related News

Expertise & Interests

Research Interests

Bipolar spectrum disorders; Mood and anxiety disorders; Phenomenology, course & treatment

Clinical Interests

Pediatric mood and anxiety disorders

Education Interests

Medical and resident education; Research mentorship; Mentoring international scholars

Selected Publications

  1. Birmaher B, Hafeman D, Merranko J, Zwicker A, Goldstein B, Goldstein T, Axelson D, Monk K, Hickey M, Sakolsky D, Iyengar S, Diler R, Nimgaonkar V, Uher R. Role of polygenic risk score in the familial transmission of bipolar disorder in youth. JAMA Psychiatry 2022 Feb 1;79(2):160-168. PMID 34935868.
  2. Birmaher B, Merranko J, Hafeman D, Goldstein B, Diler R, Levenson J, Monk K, Iyengar S, Hickey M, Sakolsky D, Axelson D, Goldstein T. A longitudinal study of psychiatric disorders in offspring of parents with bipolar disorder from preschool to adolescence. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2021 Nov;60(11):1419-1429. PMID: 33785405. PMCID: PMC8473582.
  3. Birmaher B, Merranko J, Gill MK, Hafeman D, Goldstein T, Goldstein B, Hower H, Strober M, Axelson D, Ryan N, Yen S, Diler R, Iyengar S, Kattan M, Weinstock L, Keller M. Predicting personalized risk of mood recurrences in youths and young adults with bipolar disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2020 Jan 21 (Online ahead of print). PMID: 31978620. PMCID: PMC7371512.
  4. Birmaher B, Gill MK, Axelson DA, Goldstein BI, Goldstein TR, Yu H, Liao F, Iyengar S, Diler RS, Strober M, Hower H, Yen S, Hunt J, Merranko JA, Ryan ND, Keller MB. Longitudinal trajectories and associated baseline predictors in youths with bipolar spectrum disorders. Am J Psychiatry, 2014 Sep; 171(9):990-9. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp. 2014. 13121577. PMID 24874203. PMCID: PMC4164021.
  5. Birmaher B, Axelson DA, Monk K, Kalas C, Clark DB, Ehmann M, Bridge J, Heo J, Brent DA. Fluoxetine for the treatment of childhood anxiety disorders. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2003;42(4):415-23. PMID: 12649628.
  6. Birmaher B, Diler R, Gill MK, Hafeman D, Goldstein T, Sakolsky d. Pediatric Bipolar Disorder: Phenomenology, Differential Diagnosis, and Course. In: Passos I, Berk M, Kapczinski F, eds. Bipolar Disorder: An Evidence-Based Clinical Guide. Switzerland: Springer, 2025
  7. Birmaher B, Goldstein T, Goldstein B. Bipolar Disorders. In: Martin A, Volkmar FR, eds. Lewiss Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: A Comprehensive Textbook. 5th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer, 2025.
  8. Birmaher B. Up-To-Date Pediatric Bipolar Disorder: Assessment and Diagnosis, and Clinical Manifestations and Course of Illness, 2025
  9. Birmaher B, Brent D, Bernet W, Bukstein O, Walter H, Benson RS, Chrisman A, Farchione T, Greenhill L, Hamilton J, Keable H, Kinlan J, Schoettle U, Stock S, Ptakowski KK, Medicus J. Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with depressive disorders. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2007;46(11):1503-26. PMID: 18049300. 10075518.
  10. Birmaher B, Brent DA, Chiappetta L, Bridge J, Monga S, Baugher M. Psychometric properties of the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED): A replication study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1999;38(10):1230-6. PMID: 10517055.

Education & Credentials

Education & Training

Education
MD, Valle College of Medicine
Internship
Medicine, Valle College of Medicine, Cali, Colombia
Residency
General Psychiatry, Haddassah Medical College and the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
Fellowship
Clinical Research, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and New York Psychiatric Institute
Fellowship
Child Psychiatry, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and New York Psychiatric Institute
Fellowship
Biological Psychiatry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Professional Affiliations

  • Member, American Psychiatric Association
  • Member, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
  • Member, Society of Biological Psychiatry
  • Member, Hispanic Mental Health Association
  • Member, Allegheny County Medical Society

Selected Honors & Awards

  • Ruane Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Research, Brain & Behavior Research Foundation
  • C. Charles Burlingame Award, The Institute of Living
  • Excellence in Psychiatry Award, American Society of Hispanic Psychiatry
  • Colvin Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Mood Disorders Research, Brain & Behavior Research Foundation
  • Ellen Frank Psychiatric Research Award, Mental Health Association of Allegheny County

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