Biomedical Science and Clinical Research(BSCR)

Biography

Dr. Rajendra D. Badgaiyan, is the Chief of Psychiatry at South Texas Veterans Health Care System San Antonio, Texas, and Professor of Psychiatry at Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health. After completing psychiatry residency training at Harvard Medical School, Dr Badgaiyan worked as a member of the faculty at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, State University of New York at Buffalo, and University of Minnesota. He also served as the Chairman of Psychiatry Department and Professor of Psychiatry of the hospital affiliated to Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York. Dr Badgaiyan is known for developing a novel brain imaging technique (Neurotransmitter imaging) for detection, mapping, and quantification of neurotransmitters released in the live human brain during performance of mental activities. Using this technique, he studies dopaminergic control of conscious and nonconscious cognition and behavior. His research has revealed the role of dopamine in maintaining conscious experience and in regulating consciousness. Because of the ability of psychedelic drugs to modify dopamine concentration in the brain, Dr. Badgaiyan believes that these drugs can be used to treat psychiatric illnesses by altering dopamine levels of the brain. He has received several prizes and awards for research including the prestigious Solomon Prize of Harvard Medical School and BK Anand National Research Prize in India. His research is funded by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Dana Foundation and other agencies. Dr Badgaiyan has published over 200 research papers, book chapters and a book titled ‘Neuroscience of the Nonconscious Mind’ (Elsevier/Academic Press).