Pat R. Levitt, PhD
Chief Scientific Officer, VP & Director, Saban Research Institute
Simms/Mann Chair in Developmental Neurogenetics, CHLA
WM Keck Provost Professor in Neurogenetics, Dept. of Pediatrics,
Keck School of Medicine, USC
Dr. Pat R. Levitt is the Simms/Mann Chair in Developmental Neurogenetics, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) and WM Keck Provost Professor of Neurogenetics, Keck School of Medicine of USC. Dr. Levitt serves as the Chief Scientific Officer and Director of The Saban Research Institute at CHLA. He is a developmental neuroscientist pursuing basic research studies of brain circuit development, the influence of genetic diversity on symptom heterogeneity in neurodevelopmental disorders and the impact of toxic stress on metabolic and behavioral functions. His work examines molecular, behavioral and developmental traits of infants who are at risk for toxic stress due to early adversity, studies of brain activity for the earliest biomarkers of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk in infants, and oxidative stress in children with ASD and GI disturbances. His studies of infant resilience to adversity focus on the brain-based and metabolic changes that may have short and long-term impacts on mental and physical health.
Dr. Levitt is an elected member of the prestigious National Academy of Medicine and Editor-in-Chief of Mind, Brain and Education Journal. He is a Senior Fellow at the Center for the Developing Child at Harvard University, and serves as Science Co-Director of the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. He has published over 275 scientific papers, and presents to policy makers and service providers throughout the US, Canada and Mexico on the impact of early experience on child health. He serves on the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine governing board. Dr. Levitt received a BA in Biological Sciences from University of Chicago and PhD in neuroscience from University of California, San Diego.