Bio
Dr. Williams is an Assistant Professor within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Director of the Stanford Brain Stimulation Lab. Dr. Williams has a broad background in neuropsychiatry, completing residencies in both neurology and psychiatry. In addition, he has specific training and clinical expertise in the development of brain stimulation methodologies under Mark George, MD. Themes of his work include (a) examining the use of spaced learning theory in the application of neurostimulation techniques, (b) development and mechanistic understanding of rapid-acting antidepressants, and (c) identifying objective biomarkers that predict neuromodulation responses in treatment-resistant neuropsychiatric conditions. He has published papers in high impact peer-reviewed journals including Brain, American Journal of Psychiatry, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. He has also contributed to two reviews related to novel therapeutics for neuropsychiatric conditions that have been published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation and Current Opinion in Neurobiology, which are both highly cited. Results from his studies have gained widespread attention in journals such as Science and New England Journal of Medicine Journal Watch as well as in the popular press and have been featured in various news sources including Time, Smithsonian, and Newsweek. Dr. Williams received two NARSAD Young Investigator Awards in 2016 and 2018 along with the 2019 Gerald R. Klerman Award. He started the Stanford Brain Stimulation Lab in 2015. He has received several merit-based travel awards to attend and present at the annual meetings for American College of Neuropharmacology, Society of Biological Psychiatry, the American Academy of Neurology and the American Neuropsychiatric Association.
Clinical Focus
- Neurology
- Neuropsychiatry
- Interventional Psychiatry
- Psychiatry
Academic Appointments
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Assistant Professor - Med Center Line, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
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Member, Bio-X
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Member, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
Administrative Appointments
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Director, Stanford Interventional Psychiatry Clinical Research (2019 - Present)
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Director, Stanford Brain Stimulation Laboratory (2015 - Present)
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Chief Resident of Neuropsychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina (2011 - 2014)
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Chief Resident of Neurology, Medical University of South Carolina (2011 - 2012)
Honors & Awards
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Chairman's Award for Advancing Science, Stanford University (2019)
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Gerald R. Klerman Award, Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (2019)
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Domestic Travel Fellowship Award, Society of Biological Psychiatry (2018)
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Innovation Award, Stanford Center for Cognitive and Neurobiological Imaging (2017)
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Interdisciplinary Initiatives Seed Grant Program, Stanford Bio-X (2016-2018)
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NARSAD Young Investigator Award, Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (2016-2018)
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Innovation Accelerator Award, The Stanford Center for Clinical and Translational Research and Education (2016-2017)
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Chairman’s Small Grant Program, Stanford Department of Psychiatry (2016)
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Innovation Award, Stanford Center for Cognitive and Neurobiological Imaging (2016)
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Miller Award, Stanford University Department of Psychiatry (2015)
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Career Development Institute for Psychiatry, Stanford University and University of Pittsburgh (2014-2016)
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Chairman’s Choice Award, Society of Biological Psychiatry (2014)
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J.J. Cleckley Clinical Excellence Award, Medical University of South Carolina (2014)
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Young Investigator Award, American Neuropsychiatric Association (2014)
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Research Colloquium for Junior Investigators, American Psychiatric Association (2013)
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Drug Abuse Research Training Program at MUSC, National Institute on Drug Abuse (2012-2014)
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Travel Award, American Neuropsychiatric Association (2012)
Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations
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Member, American Neuropsychiatric Association Committee on Research (2016 - Present)
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Diplomate, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (2014 - Present)
Professional Education
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Board Certification: Psychiatry, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (2014)
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NIH R25 Research Fellowship, Medical University of South Carolina (Mentor: Mark George, MD), Human Neuroscience (2014)
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Clinical Fellowship, Medical University of South Carolina, Invasive and Non-Invasive Neuromodulation (2014)
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Residency, Medical University of South Carolina, Psychiatry (2014)
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Residency, Medical University of South Carolina, Neurology (2014)
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Intership, Medical University of South Carolina, Internal Medicine (2009)
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MD, Medical University of South Carolina, Medicine (2008)