John M. Davis

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Get to know Psychiatrist Dr. John M. Davis, who serves the population of Illinois. Dr. Davis completed his undergraduate degree from Princeton University before furthering his education with the Yale University School of Medicine where he graduated with his Medical Degree. He then completed his internship with the Massachusetts General Hospital, before completing his psychiatric residency with Yale. Wanting to further his training he then completed his research training at the National Institute of Health. Dr. Davis did the first studies of how antipsychotic drugs are metabolized in the body and how this process may impact their efficacy and side effects. His work showed that the therapeutic doses were much lower than previously thought. His early research also included work on the involvement of the neurotransmitter dopamine in schizophrenia, leading to the development of partial dopamine blockers as antipsychotic drugs. Among his other accomplishments, Dr. Davis wrote the first science-based textbook on psychopharmacology as a guide for psychiatrists seeking to use medications more effectively. In 1975, he also performed the first meta-analysis study in psychiatry (the second in medicine). Meta-analyses use mathematical techniques to summarize data from multiple clinical trials. Dr. Davis’ first meta-analysis provided convincing evidence that maintenance antipsychotic, mood stabilizers and antidepressant drugs could help prevent future schizophrenic episodes. Dr. Davis has also studied nutrition and his work on the role of adequate dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids has resulted in changes to the FDA guidelines and the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Dr. Davis currently studies gene expression abnormalities in schizophrenia and conducts clinical trials addressing the disease. He has been a member of numerous national scientific advisory committees and editorial boards, and is the recipient of several awards including the American College of Psychiatrists’ Stanley Dean Award for Research in Schizophrenia for 2006, and more recently has been named the Lieber Prize Winner in 2017. Dr. Davis currently practices as a Professor of Psychiatry and as a Research Professor of Medicine with the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Medicine.

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