Kenneth Kendler | |
|---|---|
 Psychiatric Geneticist Kenneth Kendler | |
| Born | Kenneth S Kendler (1950-07-12)July 12, 1950 (age 74) |
| Nationality | American |
| Citizenship | US |
| Alma mater | University of California, Santa Cruz,Stanford University School of Medicine,University of Birmingham, England |
| Known for | Psychiatry,Schizophrenia, Behavior genetics,Major depressive disorder |
| Awards | Joseph Zubin Award(2018) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Psychiatry |
| Institutions | Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics |
| Doctoral advisor | Lindon Eaves |
Kenneth S. Kendler (born July 12, 1950)[1] is an Americanpsychiatrist best known for his pioneering research inpsychiatric genetics, particularly thegenetic causes of schizophrenia.[2] Kendler is one of the highest cited psychiatry researchers. Between 1990 and 1998 he was the 2nd highest cited psychiatrist, and for the 1997–2007 decade he was ranked 4th byThomson Reuters'Science Watch.[3] He has authored over 1,200 papers and in 2016 hish-index was 126.[4] Kendler's group was also noted for the replication of a study ofAvshalom Caspi on theinteraction of stressful life events and aserotonin transporterpolymorphism in the prediction of episodes ofmajor depression.[5]
Kendler is a Banks Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry, Professor of Human Genetics, and Director of theVirginia Institute of Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics at theVirginia Commonwealth University.[6][7] Kendler is also one of the two Editors ofPsychological Medicine. He served on the Work Group that revised theDSM-III, on the Task Force forDSM-IV, and on theDSM-5 Work Group forMood Disorders.[8]
Kendler is also interested in philosophical issues in psychiatry.[6] Kendler co-wrote with Edith Zerbin-Rüdin, daughter of Nazi German psychiatristErnst Rüdin, a history of Ernst Rüdin's work during World War II.[9] During World War II, Rüdin was a member of theNazi GermanyExpert Committee on Questions of Population and Racial Policy who vociferously advocated the extermination of individuals with schizophrenia.[10] However, Kendler's articles on Rüdin have faced criticism for whitewashing his racist and later Nazi ideologies and activities.[11]
Kendler is the second son ofHoward H. Kendler andTracy Kendler, both of whom were influential academic psychologists.[12] They named their son Kenneth afterKenneth W. Spence, the doctoral advisor they both shared when studying at theUniversity of Iowa.[13] Kendler is married to Susan Miller, with whom he has three children.[1]
