Objective:: To provide an overview of Joe Biederman’s contributions to child and adolescent psychiatry.
Method:: Nine colleagues described his contributions to: psychopharmacology, comorbidity and genetics, pediatric bipolar disorder, autism spectrum disorders, Tourette’s and tic disorders, clinical and neuro biomarkers for pediatric mood disorders, executive functioning, and adult ADHD.
Results:: Joe Biederman left us with many concrete indicators of his contributions to child and adolescent psychiatry. He set up the world’s first pediatric psychopharmacology clinic and clinical research program in child adolescent psychiatry. As a young faculty member he began a research program that led to many awards and eventual promotion to full professor at Harvard Medical School. He was for many years the most highly cited researcher in ADHD. He achieved this while maintaining a full clinical load and was widely respected for his clinical acumen.
Conclusion:: The world is a better place because Joe Biederman was here.
Keywords: ADHD; adult ADH; comorbidity; genetics; psychopharmacology.