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Thomas Fernandez, MD

Associate Professor In the Child Study Center and in Psychiatry; Vice Chair for Research, Child Study Center; Co-Director of the Tic and OCD Program, Child Study Center; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health

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Thomas Fernandez, MD

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Biography

Dr. Fernandez is a child psychiatrist and psychiatric geneticist who has an active clinical practice and research laboratory. Tom is a graduate of Princeton University and Yale School of Medicine, with additional research training at the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland. He completed residency training in child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry in the Solnit Integrated Residency Program at Yale. As a faculty member in Yale Child Study Center and the Department of Psychiatry, Tom's research efforts include the following investigations into developmental neuropsychiatric disorders: (1) discovering genetic mutations in Tourette syndrome, motor stereotypies, obsessive-compulsive disorder, ADHD, and anxiety disorders using next generation DNA sequencing (whole genome and exome), and using these discoveries to identify treatment targets; (2) discovering epigenetic marker variation in these disorders; and (3) clinical trials of new behavioral and medication treatments. Tom has received research funding from the NIMH (K08, R01), Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (NARSAD), Simons Foundation, and Allison Family Foundation. Additionally, Tom works clinically as an attending in the Tourette/OCD/ADHD Clinic at Yale Child Study Center.

Education & Training

  • Fellowship
    Yale Child Study Center (2012)
  • Residency
    Yale-New Haven Hospital (2011)
  • Residency
    Yale-New Haven Hospital (2010)
  • MD
    Yale University School of Medicine (2005)
  • BA
    Princeton University, Psychology (1997)

Activities

  • DocuMental: Enhancing Mental Health Documentation through a Secure, Generative AI Workflow
    New Haven, CT, United States 2024
    2024 AI in Medicine Symposium
  • Stereotypies in Autism Spectrum Disorder
    New York, NY, United States 2023
    American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 70th Annual Meeting
  • DNA Sequencing Study of Parent-Child Trios With Childhood Anxiety Disorders
    Phoenix, AZ, United States 2022
    American College of Neuropsychopharmacology Annual Meeting
  • Don’t Worry, the Genetics of OCD is Finally Catching Up
    Toronto, ON, Canada 2022
    American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 69th Annual Meeting
  • Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in the Era of Genomics
    Toronto, ON, Canada 2022
    American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 69th Annual Meeting
  • Contribution of Post-Zygotic Variants to Tourette's Disorder
    Toronto, ON, Canada 2022
    American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 69th Annual Meeting
  • Contribution of Copy-Number Variation to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
    New Orleans, LA, United States 2022
    Society of Biological Psychiatry 77th Annual Meeting
  • Characterizing De Novo Damaging Coding Variants in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
    San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico 2021
    American College of Neuropsychopharmacology Annual Meeting

Honors & Recognition

AwardAwarding OrganizationDate
Spark AwardYale Institute for Global Health2023
Tourette Association of America (TAA) Center of ExcellenceTourette Association of America2022
Outstanding Mentor AwardAmerican Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 2019
Finalist, Ziskind-Somerfeld Research Award, for the paper “Transcriptome Analysis of the Human Striatum in Tourette Syndrome” published in Biological PsychiatrySociety of Biological Psychiatry2017
Allison Family Foundation Psychiatric Research ScholarYale Department of Psychiatry and Child Study Center2012
Seymour L. Lustman Award for Psychiatric ResearchYale Department of Psychiatry2010
Donald J. Cohen Fellowship Program for International Scholars in Child & Adolescent Mental HealthInternational Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP)2007
Theodore Lidz Prize in Psychiatry (for thesis, “Gene discovery in developmental neuropsychiatric disorders: clues from chromosomal rearrangements”)Yale School of Medicine2005
Farr Scholar Award (for medical student research)Yale School of Medicine2005

Professional Service

OrganizationRoleDate
Neurological, Mental, and Behavioral Health (NMBH) Study Section, NIH Center for Scientific ReviewMember2022 - 2024
Yale School of Medicine, Precision Medicine Search CommitteeMember2022 - Present
Yale Child Study Center, Trainee Research Awards CommitteeChair2022 - Present
Yale Department of Psychiatry, T32 Steering CommitteeMember2022 - Present
Yale School of Medicine, Office of Physician-Scientist and Scientist Development (OPSSD) Advisory CouncilCommittee Member2021 - Present
Yale Department of Psychiatry, Seymour Lustman Research Award CommitteeMember2021 - Present
Yale Department of Psychiatry, Detre Research Award CommitteeMember2021 - Present
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Annual Meeting Research Poster CommitteeChair2019 - 2023
Behavioral Genetics and Epidemiology (BGES) Study Section, NIH Center for Scientific ReviewBehavioral Genetics and Epidemiology Study Section (BGES) Standing Member2018 - 2022
Yale School of Medicine, Dean's Faculty Advisory CouncilMember2018 - 2021
American College Neuropsychopharmacology, Annual Meeting Program CommitteeMember2018 - 2021
Frontiers in Child and Adolescent PsychiatryAssociate Editor2018 - 2021
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Annual Meeting Program CommitteeMember2017 - 2023
Behavioral Genetics and Epidemiology (BGES) Study Section, NIH Center for Scientific ReviewEarly Career Reviewer Program2017 - 2018
Yale School of Medicine, Admissions CommitteeCommittee Member2016 - 2022
Frontiers in Child and Adolescent PsychiatryCo-Chief Editor with Linda Mayes, MD2016 - 2017
American College of NeuropsychopharmacologyAssociate Member2016 - Present
International College of NeuropsychopharmacologyMember2016 - Present
American Society of Human GeneticsMember2015 - Present
American Academy of Child & Adolescent PsychiatryMember2008 - 2010
American Academy of Child and Adolescent PsychiatryMember2008 - Present

Departments & Organizations