Joan Luby
Samuel and Mae S. Ludwig Chair in Psychiatry at Barnes-Jewish Hospital
- Phone: 314-286-2730
- Email: lubyj@nospam.wustl.edu
Additional Titles & Roles
- Director, Early Emotional Development Program
- Co-PI NIMH Post doctoral training program in developmental affective neuroscience
Education & Training
- Fellowship: Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 1990
- Residency: Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 1988
- M.D.: Wayne State University, 1985
- B.A.: Brown University, 1981
Major Awards
- Elected Member: National Academy of Medicine, 2023
- AACAP Norbert and Charlotte Rieger Award for Scientific Achievement, 2021
- American Psychiatric Association Blanche Ittelson Award for Research in Child/Adolescent Psychiatry, 2021
- Ruane Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Research (NARSAD), 2020
- Washington University Carl and Gerty Cori Faculty Achievement Award, 2020
- Member Scientific Council/ Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, 2018
- AACAP Irving R. Philips Award for Prevention, 2015
Areas of Clinical Interest
Mood disorders in preschool children: diagnosis and treatment, Developmental Psychopathology, Neurobiological correlates of preschool depression. Early experience and neurodevelopment. Sensitive periods. Novel parent-child interaction therapy for preschool mood disorders, Infant/Preschool Psychiatry
Research Interests
– Studies of early onset depression, validators, clinical characteristics, biological markers and alterations in brain structure and function related to early onset depression and other early experiences
– Psychotherapeutic treatments for early onset depression focusing on emotion development
– Studies of early experience and brain development
– Effects of poverty on brain development
– Novel treatments for early onset depression
– Sensitive periods in emotion development and therapeutic response.
Recent Publications
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Association of pediatric bipolar disorder and substance use disorder in adulthood in a prospective cohort
Patel, H., Tillman, R., Vogel, A. & Luby, J., Jan 1 2026, In: Journal of affective disorders. 392, 120108.
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Prenatal Adversity and Neonatal White Matter Microstructure Independently Relate to Language Outcomes at Age 2 Years
Bjork, J., Kenley, J. K., Gardner, C., Latham, A., Smyser, T. A., Miller, J. P., Shimony, J. S., Neil, J. J., Warner, B. B., Luby, J. L., Barch, D. M., Rogers, C. E., Smyser, C. D. & Lean, R. E., Oct 2025, In: Journal of Pediatrics. 285, 114676.
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Preliminary Validity for a Brief Caregiver-Report Screener for Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Children Under Age 8
Hennefield, L., Chen, C., Agali, U. & Luby, J. L., Sep 2025, In: JAACAP Open. 3, 3, p. 485-495 11 p.
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The Presence of Externalizing Diagnoses Increases the Risk of Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Youth Enriched for Early-Onset Depression
Duncan, M., Vogel, A., Ramiah, A., Tillman, R., Barch, D. M., Luby, J. & Hennefield, L., Sep 2025, In: JAACAP Open. 3, 3, p. 516-526 11 p.
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Editorial: The pressing need to investigate the effects of media immersion in early childhood on brain and behavioral development
Donohue, M. R., Camacho, M. C. & Luby, J., Sep 2025, In: Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines. 66, 9, p. 1301-1303 3 p.