Massachusetts General Hospital

BiographyChristopher McDougle, MD, received a B.A. in chemistry from Valparaiso University in 1981 (with Highest Distinction) and an M.D. from Indiana University School of Medicine in 1986 (with Highest Distinction).  He subsequently completed a residency in psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine (1990) and a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at the Yale Child Study Center (1995).  After seven years on the faculty at Yale, Dr. McDougle joined the Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM) in 1997 as the Raymond E. Houk Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Section of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.  In September of 2000, Dr. McDougle was named the Albert Eugene Sterne Professor of Psychiatry and Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at the IUSM.  He continued on as Director of the Section of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, as well. In the fall of 2011, Dr. McDougle became the Director of the Lurie Center for Autism and the Nancy Lurie Marks Professor in the Field of Autism at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. McDougle was elected to the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology in 1995, and is now a fellow.  He was twice chosen as Teacher of the Year by the Yale Psychiatry Residents.  In 2002, Dr. McDougle was selected as a recipient of the 12th Annual Nancy C.A. Roeske, M.D. Certificate of Recognition for Excellence in Medical Student Education from the American Psychiatric Association, and in 2007 he was selected as a recipient of the Annual Irma Bland Award for Excellence in Teaching Residents, also by the American Psychiatric Association.  Dr. McDougle was awarded the Frank J. Menolascino Award for Psychiatric Services for Persons with Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities from the American Psychiatric Association in 2009.  In 2003, he was appointed Associate Editor of the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

Research

Dr. McDougle is an internationally-recognized expert in the neurobiology and neuropsychopharmacology of childhood-onset neuropsychiatric disorders including autistic disorder.  His research interests also include the etiology and pathophysiology of mental retardation syndromes.

Dr. McDougle has been awarded two Young Investigator Awards from the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD), an Independent Investigator Award from NARSAD, a grant from the Theodore and Vada Stanley Research Foundation, a Research Unit on Pediatric Psychopharmacology (RUPP) contract, a RUPP-Psychosocial Intervention (PI) grant and additional research grants from the National Institute of Mental Health for the study of autism and related pervasive developmental disorders.

Publications

View my most recent publications at PubMed

Lurie Center names first director

MGH leaders in autism care and research gathered Nov. 29 at the Liberty Hotel to welcome Christopher J. McDougle, MD, as the new director of the Lurie Center for Autism.

Chris McDougle, MD, Named to Nancy Lurie Marks Professorship

Congratulations to Chris McDougle, MD, the first incumbent of the Nancy Lurie Marks Professorship in the Field of Autism at Harvard Medical School.

Lurie Center Part of the Largest Drug Study for Treatment of Impaired Social Relatedness in Autism

The Lurie Center for Autism will take part in the largest study ever done on a medication to treat impaired social relatedness in children and teenagers with autism spectrum disorders.

Christopher J. McDougle, MD, honored by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

The George Tarjan Award recognizes a child and adolescent psychiatrist who has made significant contributions in a lifetime career or single seminal work to the understanding or care of those with developmental disabilities. These contributions must have national and/or international stature and clearly demonstrate lasting effects.

Lurie Center joins largest study of drug to treat social impairment

The Lurie Center for Autism at MassGeneral Hospital for Children will take part in a $12.6 million study of the effectiveness of using intranasal oxytocin – a hormone believed to be important in the formation of social bonds – to treat impaired social relatedness in children and teens with autism spectrum disorders.

Christopher J. McDougle, MD, named among top 1% of doctors by U.S. News & World Report

Dr. McDougle is listed among the top 1% of doctors in the nation in the specialty of child and adolescent psychiatry.

In General: Christopher J. McDougle, MD

In General awards and honors

Lurie Center for Autism receives $10 million in gifts

The Lurie Center for Autism receives two gifts of $5 million to support research and operations.