Katherine Leah Wisner, MD

Associate Chief, Perinatal Mental Health

Psychiatrist

Katherine L. Wisner, MS, MD, joined the Developing Brain Institute in October 2023 as associate chief for Perinatal Mental Health. Dr. Wisner obtained her MS, in nutrition and MD, from Case Western Reserve University, followed by a pediatric internship and general/child psychiatry residency and post-doctoral fellowship in epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Wisner also completed fellowships in professional and biomedical ethics. Her research advanced our understanding of the natural history of mood disorders across childbearing, benefit-harm decision-making for pharmacotherapy and the pharmacokinetics of medications across pregnancy and lactation. Dr. Wisner is internationally recognized as an expert in the treatment of mood disorders during pregnancy and the postpartum period. She has received over $23 million from the National Institutes of Health and has 270 peer-reviewed publications and 23 book chapters.

Dr. Wisner was awarded the Woman in Science Award from the American Medical Women’s Association in 2011. From the American Psychiatric Association (APA), she received the Alexandra Symonds Award in 2012 and the annual Award for Research in 2017. She was honored with Distinguished Mentor Awards from the University of Pittsburgh in 2012 and from Northwestern University in 2022. She received the Marcé International Society for Perinatal Mental Health’s Medal for lifetime contributions. Dr. Wisner served on the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Psychiatry and currently on the Boards of JAMA Psychiatry and Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. She is a Fellow of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology and a Distinguished Life Fellow of the APA. With her experience as president of the Marcé International Society for Perinatal Mental Health, Dr. Wisner developed the business startup plan for Marcé of North America (MONA) and was MONA’s inaugural president.

• Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences