Husseini K. Manji, MD, FRCPC

Oxford University

Dr. Husseini Manji is Co-Chair of the UK Government’s Mental Health Goals Programme (formerly the UK Mental Health Mission) and Professor at Oxford University. He also serves as Adjunct Professor at Yale University and Visiting Professor at Duke University. Previously, he was the Global Therapeutic Head for Neuroscience at Johnson & Johnson, where he oversaw the discovery, development, and launch of several transformative treatments for serious neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Before joining industry, Dr. Manji was Chief of the Laboratory of Molecular Pathophysiology and Director of the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), then the world’s largest program of its kind.

Dr. Manji’s research has focused on disease- and treatment-induced changes in synaptic and neural plasticity in severe mental illnesses, with a strong emphasis on translational science and biomarker development. He helped pioneer the first novel antidepressant mechanism in more than 30 years, led work on the first neuroscience medication to receive FDA Breakthrough designation, and contributed to advances including a long-acting schizophrenia treatment, as well as novel mechanisms for Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. His efforts extend beyond therapeutics to advancing holistic and biomarker-driven approaches for refining complex neuropsychiatric disorders.

He has been elected to the US National Academy of Medicine and serves on the NIH Novel and Exceptional Technology and Research Advisory Committee, the World Dementia Council, the World Economic Forum Global Future Councils, the Board of Mass General Brigham, the Board of Trustees of Harvard University/McLean Hospital, the Board of the Dana Foundation, and the Scientific Advisory Board of the Stanley Center at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. He has also chaired the National Academy of Medicine’s Neuroscience, Behavior, Brain Function & Disorders group and co-chairs the Healthy Brains Global Initiative.

Dr. Manji has received numerous awards for his contributions to neuroscience and medicine, including the National Academy of Medicine International Mental Health Prize, the NIMH Director’s Career Award, the PhRMA Research & Hope Award, the Mogens Schou Distinguished Research Award, the DBSA Klerman Distinguished Researcher Award, and recognition as one of the inaugural “Health Heroes” by Oprah magazine. A dedicated educator, he has taught and mentored widely, co-founding the NIH Graduate Course in the Neurobiology of Neuropsychiatric Illness and serving on the National Board of Medical Examiners and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Scholars Program. He has authored more than 350 publications advancing the neurobiology and treatment of severe mental illness.