Dr. Joseph Buxbaum, MD

Bio

Dr. Joseph Buxbaum is a world-renowned molecular geneticist who has been intimately affiliated with the Seaver Autism Center since joining the faculty at Mount Sinai in 1997.

Dr. Buxbaum was recruited in part to establish a molecular genetics program in autism spectrum conditions within Mount Sinai. As such, he was the Director of Molecular Genetics in the Seaver Autism Center for seven years and took over Directorship of the Seaver Autism Center itself in 2008. Dr. Buxbaum has focused on understanding the molecular and genetic basis of autism spectrum conditions, which will allow for a better understanding of what causes them, leading to the development of novel therapeutics for the negative aspects of these disorders.

Additionally, Dr. Buxbaum heads the Laboratory of Molecular Neuropsychiatry, which has taken the findings of the causes of autism and translated them into animal models where therapeutic approaches can be evaluated. In this context, Dr. Buxbaum has established the Autism Model Systems Initiative, which makes use of multiple experimental systems to develop and evaluate novel therapeutics in autism spectrum conditions.

Dr. Buxbaum has taken the lead in collaborations with multiple independent sites to ensure that the best science in the service of the families is carried out. Dr. Buxbaum is a lead investigator in the Autism Genetics Consortium, the Autism Genome Project, and the Autism Case Control Cohort, and is a part of the Psychiatric Genetics Consortium. These large Consortia have the benefit of advancing the best science at the fastest pace.

Dr. Buxbaum, the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Professor, has received numerous awards for his research. He has received recognition from the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) in the form of the Daniel H. Efron award for "excellence in research in neuropsychophamacology" (2005), as well as from the Eden Institute Foundation for his "commitment and dedication to improving the quality of life in individuals with autism" (2008). In 2010, Dr. Buxbaum received the Richard D. Todd Memorial Award from the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics, the Joel Elkes Research Award from ACNP, and the Evans Research Award from the Marine Biological Laboratory. He also received the 2011 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Translational Science.

Dr. Buxbaum has published over 100 publications in esteemed journals and his work on autism and related conditions has been published in major journals including Nature, Nature Genetics, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Molecular Psychiatry, and Biological Psychiatry. He is the co-Editor-in-chief of Molecular Autism, a journal that publishes cutting-edge research in autism genetics.

Specialties:

  • neurology

Affiliation:

  • The Mount Sinai Medical Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Location:

Activity

  • Sharecare News
    Sharecare News posted a story about Neurology:

    WEDNESDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Migraines and depression can each cause a great deal of suffering, but new research indicates the combination of the two may be linked to something else entirely -- a smaller brain.

    Already aware that people with migraines face double the risk of dep...Full Article

  • Sharecare News
    Sharecare News posted a story about Neurology:

    WEDNESDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Over the next two decades, the cost of treating strokes in the United States is expected to more than double, topping more than $180 billion a year, according to new research.

    The main factor driving the increase: an aging p...Full Article

  • Sharecare News
    Sharecare News posted a story about Neurology:

    FRIDAY, May 17 (HealthDay News) -- New research suggests the dominant side of your brain may make the call on which ear you choose to use while talking on your cellphone.

    The dominant side of your brain is where your speech and language center resides. Ninety-five percent of the human pop...Full Article

  • Sharecare News
    Sharecare News posted a story about Neurology:

    MONDAY, Aug. 13 (HealthDay News) -- A condition known as leukoaraiosis alters brain function in older people, according to a small new study.

    Contrary to past belief, researchers found this common condition, in which diseased blood vessels lead to small areas of...Full Article

  • Sharecare News
    Sharecare News posted a story about Neurology:

    FRIDAY, Aug. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Although they are common and often debilitating, migraine headaches are not associated with declines in thinking skills, researchers say.

    "Previous studies on migraines and cognitive [brain] decline were small and unable to identify a link between the t...Full Article

  • Joseph Buxbaum, MD
    What role does inheritance play in autism?
    Genetics is a clear part of autism, but not all of the genetic risk is inherited. Some of the genetic changes that lead to autism are de novo, which means mutations in the egg or sperm.  Full Post
  • Joseph Buxbaum, MD
    Is there any new treatment in the pipeline for autism?
    There are several new treatments in the pipeline for autism spectrum disorder. Curemark, LLC recently released positive results from a phase 3 clinical trial of their compound, Luminenz, that is focused on treating symptoms of hyperactivity in Autism. Seaside Therapeutics is also studying Arba...  Full Post
  • Joseph Buxbaum, MD
    What causes autism?
    There is very good data implicating genetics as the major cause of autism. The genetic changes identified to date show that there are many hundreds of genes that can contribute to autism. Mutations that increase risk for autism can be chromosomal abnormalities, small structural changes,...  Full Post
  • Joseph Buxbaum, MD
    What is the latest research being done on autism?
    Autism research is advancing at a rapid pace in the fields of neurobiology, genetics, educational interventions, and targeted, medication treatments. One interesting new approach is to identify autism genes and then develop new drugs based on the gene findings.  Full Post